Eternal Night
by Delliz
Summary: Post New Moon: Edward and Bella struggle to keep their relationship intact and keep themselves alive. Written book style. Please R
1. Promise

**This is my first Fan-Fic ever. I take my writing seriously but I know I need extreme improvement. This is the reason that I encourage flames; if it's really how you feel, I need to know. Thank you. –Delliz**

**PS: the songs at the bottom of each chapter are not ones I think you should listen to while reading or that 'inspired' me; they are just songs I'm obsessed with and I'm trying to spread my love for music everywhere.**

**PPS: I haven't titled my story yet, sorry… and these long winded AN will not happen ever again.**

**Eternal Night**

**1. Promise**

The mud that was still visible beneath the moss coated ground caked on my sneakers. The forest engulfed me into a green darkness with no hope of ever getting out. My head turned franticly from side to side as I walked. My eyes scanned each leaf hoping for even a small glimpse of what I was looking for. _Just one look, that's all I need,_ I pleaded in my head.

The wet air clung to my lungs making it harder to get in a deeper breath. The atmosphere was heavy and made my limbs feel like boulders as I tried to trek across the uneven ground.

My speed picked up as I made my way through the trees, tripping often. I had been in this forest of trees and tall ferns for hours with no hope of prevailing. That's when I realized that the only thing I could ever want, the thing I was looking for, was never coming back.

My screams reverberated through the trees, banging against my ears. My head began to throb with the intensity of my voice. The realization hit me harder and harder as the second ticked by. My body crumpled to a pathetic ball onto the damp forest floor, just like that day. The relentless hole in my chest teased me with pain. Never enough to kill me, just enough to make me feel dead.

_He's never coming back._ The pitch of my screams reached an all time high as I yelled for his return.

My eyes whipped open with a vengeance. The light from the moon trickled through my window illuminating the tears on my face. As soon as I saw the bed I knew it was only a dream, just another nightmare. I listened for Charlie to make sure that I hadn't woken him up with my screaming. I heard his soft snores drifting through the walls. I released a small breath of relief when I realized I was shaking.

Two cold arms encased my torso as I tried to shift to see why I was moving. I turned my tired head upward to see something that broke my heart instantly. Edward's face was crumpled into a mask of sheer pain. The sound of his broken tearless sobs drenched the air of my room. His lips trembled as he spoke to quietly for me to hear.

My own tears increased as I realized he had heard me screaming. This was my entire fault. I gently moved my hands and pulled his arms away from me. His sobs increased as I pushed my body away from his on the small confine of my bed. I continued to move until my back was against the wall and then I leaned forward and took a hold of his shoulders with my small fingers.

I pulled on him as hard as I could. He wouldn't budge; his muscles tensed away from me.

"Edward…" I whispered, "Please." When I attempted to pull him towards me again he allowed me to. I placed his head in my lap and stroked his hair back away from his face. My other hand rubbed his back. I tried to get a hold on my own emotions, but it was just too hard when he was like this because of me. I think we just sat there for an hour; me holding him and crying slowly and silently with him.

His broken and frantic voice finally cracked through the silence that had consumed us.

"Bella, I-" He broke off just as quickly as he had started when another sob wracked his marble body. I hushed him softly and stoked his face. I whispered to him that I was here and I wasn't going anywhere without him, I needed him to see that I was going to help him as much as I could no matter what. Just because I wasn't a vampire, didn't mean I had to sit here and do nothing when he needed me.

I leaned my head against the wall and closed my eyes to push back the tears. As I continued to stroke his hair and rub his back, I did the only thing I could think of. I began to hum my lullaby very softly. When the song was over I began again.

After a few times of doing this I felt his body begin to calm down and his breaths become more regular against my skin. I breathed in his amazing scent and allowed it to calm the rest of my nerves.

I slowly opened my eyes only to see my angel starting intently up at my face. Our eyes remained locked for what seemed like hours. I broke off my humming and gave him a small smile. Confusion rippled though his face as he stared at me. My hand found his face again as I pushed a small bit off his bronze hair away from his dark eyes. When I was pulling away again he grabbed my hand and brought it to his cheek, holding my warm palm there he closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry." I said this so quietly any normal person would not have heard me. He began to shake his head slowly back and forth, rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb. When he opened his eyes again the midnight color they were held so many emotions it was overwhelming.

"Bella don't. This is entirely my fault and you are too good to sit here and deal with me right now. I can't believe that I put you through this. I truly am a monster, I should have just stayed in Alaska last year and saved you all this hurt. I can't-"

"Don't you dare say that ever again." I spoke each word separately and strongly. As much conviction as I had in my entire body went into these words. He was _not_ leaving again. I told this to myself over and over again as my tears began to spill over my cheeks again. The lithe skin of his cold fingers reached up to brush them away.

"I'm not going anywhere ever again, I promise on my life, Bella." His eyes held nothing but love and sadness as he said this. His stare pleaded with me to believe him. I opened my mouth but he continued to speak.

"That was the biggest mistake I have ever made in my entire existence. I put both of us through unnecessary physical and emotional pain that was beyond anything we could have ever imagined. I deserve hell after what I did to you." He spoke quickly after seeing my expression change to one of horror. "I do Bella, but I promise now that I will never leave you side ever again unless it is to hunt, and even then I will only be gone for as long as absolutely needed. No one can keep me from you, not even myself. I think even if you tried to send me away at this point I would never be to far away, I have to take care of you Bella.'

"I don't want you here because you feel a responsibility to stay and make sure I don't get off-ed by tripping down the stairs or getting hit by cars Edward. I want you here-"

"I love you Bella, I would do anything for you, absolutely anything. I want to take care of you because I love you. If anything ever happened to you again I know I wouldn't be able to exist any longer. I just want you to give me once last chance to prove to you that I'm not a horrible selfish monster. You are my life."

"I love you too Edward, you aren't a monster and you never have been." With this he pulled me down and held me close to his body. As we lay there our breathing matched, our bodies fit into each other's perfectly, kismet. That is the only explanation.

Moments like this, when our honesty with each other prevails over our own stubbornness, were uncommon in our relationship. We felt the constant need to protect the other from what we are thinking, feeling, and in Edward's case, what he is. In that moment we were equals, vampire and human, but equal.

Moments with Edward at all were hard to come by. This afternoon when Jacob brought my red motorcycle over from his house to tell Charlie was one of the worse in my life, right up there with the day Edward left me.

To say the least, Charlie was enraged. The second I stepped into the house I turned to him to begin apologizing profusely but he did something so horrible. He just raised a hand to silence me, looked at me with complete disappointment, and pointed upstairs. I walked dejectedly up the steps and opened my bedroom door and walked over to my desk chair. I sat there for hours with my arms folded across my chest staring at the floor. Edward had been there, he tried to speak several times, opening and closing his mouth. When I finally started to cry he brought me over to my bed and lay there soothing me until I fell into a restless sleep.

Edward's voice broke me out of my thoughts.

"Bella, you still have a few hours until school starts, try and sleep." I just tucked my head into his chest as he pulled the blankets over my shoulders again. This time he hummed as I drifted back off into darkness.

"We'll get through this, I know we will," was the last thing I heard before sleep swallowed me.

**Song: 'Stolen' by Dashboard Confessional**


	2. Repercussions

**Eternal Night**

**2. Repercussions **

"Bella" His voice wafted over to me in my sleep. Its beauty washed over me and made my heart race and head spin instantly. His soft chuckle brought me closer to consciousness. He repeated my name twice more before I mustered up enough energy to open my eyes.

When I did he was still there, holding me close to him. His gorgeous yet dark eyes looked into mine, trying to read my soul. A small smile broke across his angelic features making him even more heavenly.

"Bella, no matter how much I would rather stay here holding you all day, Charlie is waiting downstairs to talk to you, and we have to go to school." His face immediately fell when he mentioned Charlie. My face mirrored his reaction; today Charlie would be talking to me about my motorcycle escapades.

"I'm going to die during this conversation." I said weakly. Edward ran the back of his hand up and down the line of my jaw. He didn't say anything, just continued to brush my face with his lips and fingers. I closed my eyes and reveled in his touch, he was trying to tell me he would be here and I knew in that moment it would be true. I nodded my head slightly in agreement with myself before I spoke.

"I know that you don't want to leave," I pressed my finger gently to his lips when his eyes were washed over with sheer worry. "But, I think that you need to go home and change, and you need to get something to drink. You can come pick me up for school in an hour; I promise I'll be here waiting."

Indecision was clear on his face. I didn't want him to leave either but if we were going to school, where emotions run high and thoughts are uncensored, he would need to have as much control as possible. Today was not going to be easy.

"One hour, you can come get me in one hour." I didn't even wait for his answer, I wasn't sure if he was intending to. I pushed myself up onto my elbows and lay a soft kiss on his forehead. When I pulled away his eyes were closed and he was breathing my scent in deeply, he gave me an almost imperceptible nod.

As I went up to grab my bathroom bag and some clothes his arms wrapped around my waist again. Now he kissed my forehead and whispered right into my ear 'one hour'. With that he was gone.

I shuffled into the bathroom and turned on the hot water. Right before I was going to strip down to get in I realized I had forgotten a shirt in my room. I ran back in and grabbed a blue long sleeved v-neck top. On my way back to the bathroom Charlie's voice drifted up the stairs.

"Bella hurry up in there I want to talk to you before you leave for school." I grimaced and winced at his tone. He was so distant and cold, not the usual Charlie. While in the shower washing my hair I couldn't help but think about how badly I had screwed everything up again. I did something that I had promised Charlie I would never do. He wasn't supposed to have to worry about me. With all that was sure to come I began to worry about his health. Harry wasn't that much younger than Charlie, and then I remembered Sue and Leah and the rest of the kids he had left behind.

I vowed right then and there that wouldn't be Charlie. I would take my punishment for what I had done without complaint. I have to try and cause him as little stress as possible, and repair the damage I have already done. I would also have to convince him to go get a check up at the hospital, just to be safe.

Before I could get too lost in my thoughts I rinsed my hair and got out. When I was done brushing my teeth and hair I got dressed and made my way downstairs. I smiled to myself when I made it down all twelve steps without tripping once. My small victory was short lived however, when my foot caught on a tackle box near the doorway of the kitchen.

When my face my contact with the linoleum of the kitchen floor Charlie's boot clad feet shuffled into my line of vision.

"Bells are you alright?" his voice was thick with concern as he pulled me up off the floor by my shoulders and settled me into one of the four mismatched chairs of the small table.

"I'm fine." He nodded and turned away back towards the counter. When he came towards me again he had a bowl of cereal for both him and me. Great, this was going to be a long conversation. I bunkered down in my chair and pulled my sweater closer to me, awaiting the inevitable.

We sat there for a minute staring into our bowls of cereal before he spoke.

"Isabella," Oh God, this is worse than I thought. "I don't know what to do with you. I'm glad that you aren't walking around here like a zombie anymore but this is unacceptable. You broke a promise to me that was very important, I can't even imagine what you were thinking when you decided to go through with this, and in all honesty, I'm not sure I want to know."

I nodded slightly in response, he was gauging my reactions. I couldn't even give him the respect he deserved by looking him in the eye. From my peripheral vision I saw his wrinkled face break into a deep grimace; the frown looked like it had been carved into his forehead by a sculptor. He sighed in exasperation.

"I'm going to work, I'll tell you your punishment when I get home later, because there will be one. Come home straight after school." In a more stern tone he added when he was at the doorway, "No visitors."

The crunch of the gravel was the last sound I heard before I rose from my seat and brought our bowls over to the sink. When I was washing them I began to sob uncontrollably. How could I have done this to him? What was I thinking? Surely hearing Edward was worth it, but was it worth hurting Charlie like this?

My breathing became so erratic I had to grip onto the sink with all my strength just to stay standing. My knees gave out and I slunk to the floor, my tears drenching my pants as they fell from my pink cheeks. Quickly my thoughts turned to getting myself under control; if Edward heard this I know he would blame himself. I tried in vain several times to calm my staggered breath, it was to no avail, it was like a flood gate had been opened and I could get it shut again.

I didn't even hear anything over my ruthless sobbing. It wasn't until I was in Edward's strong hold with his breath cooling my heated face I realized the door had opened. He had tuned off the sink and was now just sitting there holding me while I wept. I focused on matching my breathing to his and soon I was able to stop the flow of tears.

"I'm going to go change my pants." He released my frail body and watched me as I made my way slowly towards the staircase. I reached my room without tripping and changed into a new pair of jeans that Alice had gotten me at the mall.

Grabbing my backpack, I walked back down the stairs slowly tripping on the last one. I caught myself with the banister and held up a hand to say I was fine when Edward flinch in my direction. Righting myself I walked past him and out the front door, getting into the Volvo without another word.

He locked the front door and replaced the key beneath the eave. He shoved his hands in his pockets and in an instant he was sitting next to me in the car. The engine purred to life as he pulled out of the driveway, the blistering cold from outside suddenly hit me with its force and I began to shiver. Edward turned on the heat and laid his leather jacket over my lap.

Within five minutes we were sitting in silence in his parking space in the school parking lot. The rain began to pound mercilessly against the car. I could feel his gaze on me but I closed my eyes and refused to turn my head away from the front windshield. His finger touched the bottom of my chin and pulled my face slowly towards him, fine, but I don't have to open my eyes.

"Bella," His voice was so sad that I couldn't' stand it. I slowly opened my eyes only to be met with the sight of his glorious face right in front of my own. His sweet breath caressed my face as he leaned in to close the distance between us.

The coolness of his lips calmed me in a way only he could, my heart beat picked up and in seconds my hands were tangled in his bronze hair as his smoothed mine. Just when I was sure I couldn't breathe anymore he pulled away and rested his forehead against mine.

We sat there staring into each other's eyes, finding solace there until we heard a persistent tapping on the passenger side door. He looked up and glared as I turned my head to be met with the picture of Alice standing there smiling sadly in a pink raincoat.

"Class is starting in three minutes." She said calmly through the glass, with that she turned on her black heel and danced towards the building. I heard Edward's sigh as he turned to the backseat to grab his back pack. I was surprised when he handed me a dark blue raincoat similar to Alice's. I looked at him questioningly and he shrugged and said Alice must have seen this morning.

I handed him back his leather jacket and pulled this new one on. It fit perfectly and was lined with black flannel, incredibly warm. I small smile crept up onto my lips as I zipped it up and readied myself to dash towards the building. With the Hand on the door handle I flung it open and got out. I turned quickly to close it but I was intercepted by a white flash. Edward picked me up in his arms and ran human speed into the school building. My attempts to have him put me down were futile.

When we reached the classroom he put me down and smiled. I smiled back like instinct. Who could deny that face? He swooped down to kiss my quickly and then grabbed my hand and led me to the back of the class to our seats.

Our fingers remained intertwined under the desks and he rubbed small circles on the back of my hand all through English. When we parted so I could go to trig he kissed me again and brushed my hair away from my face. He walked backwards away from me smiling before he had to turn the corner towards the doors. When I walked into Trig I passed by Jessica's desk. I said a tentative hello, she might still be mad at me from that night all those months ago. My thoughts were confirmed when she snorted in response. I sighed and continued my way to the back of the room and sat down. I lay my head against the cool desk until the teacher began to drone on. The rest of classes before lunch dragged on, I only got to see Edward as he walked me to each class.

When I entered the lunch room with him by my side Jessica looked up and glared at me with all the force she could muster. Beside me I could hear the small threatening growls emitting from Edward's chest in response to, what I'm sure were not very nice, thoughts. I rested my palm on his chest and he looked away from her to me and instantly calmed down.

When we sat down at the lunch table Edward left for a minute to grab us some lunch, I felt him watching me the entire time. Sure enough when I turned my head towards him he was staring at me and I smiled. His crooked smile lit up his face in response. My heart beat began to increase rapidly and his chuckle could be heard all around the cafeteria.

People turned to look at him but when his eyes stayed locked with mine people turned to me, making me blush profusely. His laughter only increased and I heard Alice and Jasper giggling beside me. I turned my head away from him and buried my face in my arms.

Alice rubbed my back soothingly and Jasper continued to laugh softly.

"Please don't hide from me." The velvet voice reached my ears and I turned my head slightly to face him. "Sorry I embarrassed you. What can I do to keep you from being angry with me?" Before I could answer his lips were on mine again. As he pressed his lips harder to mine I let out the smallest of moans in the back of my throat which caused Jasper to burst out into laughter and Alice to cough trying to hide her own.

I pulled away and hid my blush again and Edward made a small whimpering sound. I grabbed his hand under the table and he immediately resumed rubbing circle on it. After a few minutes I felt the blush in my cheeks go down and I emerged from my little hiding place only to find Edwards gaze boring into the head of someone across the room. I turned to see he was looking at Mike. I rolled my eyes and tugged on his hand slightly to get his attention, when he looked at me I said,

"Whatever it is, ignore it, I'm sitting here." His eyes softened and he gave my hand a gentle squeeze. He looked up to Alice and they sat there staring at each other. I felt a wave of calm wash over me and realized that whatever they were talking about in one of their silent conversations was aggravating one or both of them.

A menacing hiss escaped Edward's mouth and Alice raised her eyebrow questioningly at him.

"You know I will be Alice." With that she seemed satisfied and leaned back into Jasper's arms. Jasper's eyes flashed quickly towards me before Edward nodded slightly and pulled me towards him. I didn't understand that entire exchange but I was content to be in Edward's arms. Charlie was going to punish me tonight so I had to enjoy what little peace I could when I still had some.

The rest of the day past in the same manner as the beginning had. As I made my way towards the parking lot with Edward my nerves began to get a hold on me. I would do anything to avoid seeing Charlie's disappointed face again. I felt calm again and threw a grateful glance over to Jasper who just nodded and kept walking toward his car with Alice.

"Hey! Cullen!" Edward turned around to respond to Mike who had just screamed across the entire parking lot to get his attention. Edward automatically began to growl from low in his chest.

"Edward." I said in warning. The sound didn't cut off but it was much lower so I could barley hear it.

"Why don't you go wait in the car Bella." His tone told me it wasn't really a question so I took the silver key he was attempting to hand me and walked over to the parking lot. Halfway there I turned to watch. Alice and Jasper were at my side within seconds watching the scene unfold.

Mike was talking to Edward and when he responded Mike got right up in his face. Edward stood stone still, his composure never breaking. Alice gasped beside me and I turned to see her being held up by Jasper, her eyes distant. When she came back into now she growled Mike's name.

All of our heads whipped around to where the boys were standing. Now Edward was talking quickly back to Mike whose face was becoming redder and redder in anger.

"Jasper go, go!" Jasper released Alice and started to run as quickly as he could towards the boys without attracting attention. He was too late. Mike drew back his fist and hit Edward square in the jaw.

"Oh my god, Edward!" I said and started to run to where he was. He hadn't even flinched when Mike's fist made contact with his marble skin. Mike was now crumpled on the ground swearing and holding his hand. At the sound of my voice Edward seemed to snap out of his angry trance.

He bent down to help Mike get to his feet and started to drag him over to the Volvo. Mike was in so much pain that he didn't seem to care the person whose face he just tried to bash in was practically carrying him. Mike was placed in the back seat and buckled in. I jumped into the passenger seat and strapped myself in, we were already moving.

I chanced a glance at Edward's face. His eyes were almost completely pitch black and his lips were formed into a stony line. His jaw was clenched tight and his grip on the steering wheel was making small dents.

Slowly I reached over with my hand and placed it on his leg. His knuckles began to un-tense from their death grip on the wheel but his face did not change. Good enough. With Edward's crazy driving we were at the hospital in ten minutes. After explaining to Carlisle what had happened to break two of Mike's fingers and a knuckle, we left.

When we pulled up to my house the headlights reflected off the brown paint of Charlie's cruiser.

"Oh god." I trembled. I had completely forgotten about Charlie's warning.

"This is my fault I'll explain." In a second he was at my door helping me out and towards the front door. Charlie tore open the front door and when his eyes landed on Edward, he visibly purpled.

"You, leave, now." He said while pointing an unrelenting finger at Edwards's chest.

"Mr. Swan, if you give me the chance to explain-" But Charlie cut him off.

"I think you've had enough chances." Charlie's voice was growing in volume. When Edward made no motions to leave Charlie opened his mouth again to yell but I intervened.

"Dad, Mike tried to punch Edward after school, and when Edward ducked his hand his a light pole in the parking lot. We had to bring him to the hospital, and I completely forgot to call, this is my fault, but you can call the hospital to confirm what I just told you if you want."

Both of them looked at me with shock on their faces. To be honest I was shocked at myself. I am a horrible liar. Charlie however seemed to believe me.

"Maybe I'll do that, but still, Edward you need to leave." Edward nodded and released my hand to walk away. I stood there and stared after him. He would come back right? When he was getting into his car he winked and his eyes flashed to my bedroom window as if confirming my thoughts. With that I turned to go into the house.

I had to walk past Charlie to get in. Right now he looked like a bull about to charge with his hot breath blowing harshly out of his nose, making visible attempts to calm down.

"In the kitchen Bella." He said as he shut the door.

I sat down in the same chair I had this morning. Charlie didn't come in right away and I was fidgeting. I got up and went to the sink. The bowls from this morning were sitting abandoned in a sea of murky white water and pieces of cereal. With a grimace I turned on the water and started to clean them.

"Leave that and come sit down."

"Sorry, I was running late this morning and I didn't have time to clean them."

"Come sit down." Clearly there would be no putting this off. I dried my hands and sat down again. He sat across from me with his hands folded on top of the table. His stare was making feel like I was under a microscope, and I was. He was watching for signs of the zombie still, and he was looking for what had changed about me to form me into the daughter who broke promises. I began to shift around in my seat, completely uncomfortable. I looked up at the sound of his voice.

"I've decided to give you one chance to explain why that piece of death metal was in my driveway yesterday, and why I was told it's yours." I gulped down the saliva that had begun to pool in my mouth and spoke.

"Dad, when Edward told me he was leaving that day he asked me to promise to be careful, knowing full well about my accident prone tendencies. After that day that I went to Jessica to Port Angeles I decided that I didn't feel like keeping promises anymore,"

"When I found the bikes they were falling apart and I brought them to La Push and asked Jake to fix them for me, and show me how to ride. I figured that if I was breaking promises, I shouldn't stop at one. I just needed to… I needed to fell like I had some control over what was happening to my life. I know it was stupid, it's one of the stupidest things I've ever done and I know I betrayed you. I'm sorry." My voice was cracking by the time I was halfway through and now silent tears rolled down me cheeks. This hurt, reliving my decision from the other side. I directed my eyes to the clock on the wall to avoid looking at him. I brought my hand covered in my long sleeve up to my face to wipe my cheeks.

Five minutes later I had stopped crying and was waiting for the yelling to start. I was shifting in my seat again.

"Dad, please, say something." I begged. He sighed and drew in a long breath. He puffed out his cheeks for a second and then released it.

"Okay. I see why you did it now, and I recognize the need to feel control in your life. However, that was not the way to do it." I nodded. "I think that you are confined to the house until further notice. I want you to call Newton's tomorrow and get your work schedule and give it to me. You will go to school, you will work when you have to, and other than that there will be absolutely no leaving this house. I'm going to have to call your mother about this and see what else she thinks would be a suitable punishment." With those words I visibly paled. He saw this and continued.

"I'm sorry about that Bella but I'm not sure what to do with you anymore. I ate already, if you aren't hungry then go upstairs and get ready for bed. Make sure you get up on time for school tomorrow; I'm leaving early for work."

He scooted his chair back away from the table and headed into the living room. The sounds of ESPN flowed into the kitchen and into my head. I sat there frozen.

"Bella, go upstairs if you aren't going to eat."

I pushed my chair away from the table and begun to climb the steps. I clung to the banister like it was a life preserver. On the last step my toe caught on the edge and I pitched forward. I never hit the ground because Edward picked me up and brought me into my room.

We sat on my bed for a few minutes before he spoke.

"Thank you for defending me, you didn't have to, it is my fault." I just shook my head.

"I don't care what people think anymore. This is what we have and I'm going to do everything in my power to keep it that way." With that I rose and went into the bathroom to shower. When I got out I realized I didn't have any spare clothes with me.

"Shoot." I grabbed my towel and wrapped it securely around myself. I crept back into to my room. Edward was lying on my bed with his hands behind his head. When I entered the room he opened his eyes and looked over at me. His eyes widened, I thought they were going to pop out of his head.

"I forgot my clothes..." I mumbled inaudibly. But he, of course, heard. His crooked grin broke across his face again. He rode from the bed and stroked my bare dripping shoulder with the back of his hand. My blush spread from my face down to my toes and my heart was crashing around in my chest.

His eyes twinkled in the moonlight and darkened slightly. His stare wasn't hungry, well, not for my blood.

"Let me get some for you." He picked me up by the waist and placed me softly in the rocking chair. He walked back over to my dresser and stood there staring at it with a contemplative look for a minute. In a flash he had a small pile of clothes folded neatly in his hands, he gave them to me and pushed me gently back towards the bathroom.

I was in shock. I walked in and closed the door. I looked down at the pile in my hands and begun to see what he gave me. There were green plaid flannel pants with pink satin ribbons to draw them shut. They said 'pink' on the bottom. I had a hot pink tank top and black underwear. I had never seen these clothes in my entire life.

When I saw the underwear my face went even redder. I looked in the mirror at myself; my face was redder than a strawberry skittle. I got dressed and brushed through my hair. When I went back into my room he was laying back in my bed. I crawled in next to him and lay my head on his chest. He looked down at me and smiled in approval.

"Tell Alice I said thanks." He laughed in response and grinned crookedly. He kissed me gently on the lips and smoothed my hair down to my waist. I fell asleep in his arms.

**Songs: 'The Only Little Boy in New York" Simon & Garfunkel**

**'Red Rabbits' The Shins**


	3. Two Faced

**Short AN, Sorry: I'm usually relatively good about spell checking and grammatical errors, but no body is perfect; so, I apologize before hand for any mistakes (throughout the entire story). Also, my disclaimer is on my profile.**

**Eternal Night**

**3. Two Faced**

I woke up to Edward's soft tentative kisses being placed all over my face.

"School, again." Was all he said as I opened my eyes. We sat there for a moment gazing at each other before his eyes flashed to the clock and he announced we would be late if I didn't get moving.

"Like we could ever be late with you driving." I commented while getting out of bed and walking over to my bathroom bag.

"Anything is possible with you tripping all the time." He replied back, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. I scowled at him with as much anger as I could manage, and grabbed my bag. I proceeded to storm out of the room. Of course before I could reach the bathroom door his arms were restraining me and he was looking pleadingly into my eyes.

"I didn't mean to insult you, I love your tripping." The topaz eyes that were boring into mine began to smolder and beg; they were filled with nothing but love and sadness. When I still had control over my actions I pushed his arms off of me and walked carefully into the bathroom. I shut the door and got into the shower, there was no way I was going to give in this time to those beautiful eyes. I needed to prove to myself that I was capable of restraining against melting in his arms every time he looked at me, even if I wasn't completely.

When I emerged from the bathroom, dressed and ready to withstand my angel, Edward was sitting dejectedly on my bed with his hands under his chin. His face was so drawn with regret, his pout made it practically impossible not to run over to him and jump into his embrace. I clenched my hands into fists at my side, my fingernails digging into my palms, to restrain myself.

I walked over to my closet and retrieved my shoes, feeling his eyes on me the entire time. I swooped down with as much grace as I could muster and grabbed my backpack out of the corner. Turning, I walked through the doorway and started to slowly descend the steps. Not once did I hear Edward move but I could still feel his gaze on me as I continued downward. I smiled smugly to myself as I reached the bottom safely. As I turned the corner to enter the kitchen I tripped on that tackle box, again.

My face was one of complete shock when I actually made contact with the ground. In a second I was in Edward's arms and he was smoothing down my hair.

"I'm sorry Bella. I honestly thought you were in the clear so I went back into your room to get your Trig book for you. If it's any consolation, I think you proved your point." He spoke quickly.

I didn't know what to say. I was still in shock and his heart wrenchingly beautiful face was making incredibly difficult to think let alone breathe.

"Bella… are you alright?"

I found the strength to nod my head slightly in assurance. That crooked smile took my breath back again. He slowly leaned down and brushed his lips along my jaw line, he trailed small kisses up and down my neck. My heart was thundering louder than any storm I had ever heard in Forks, my eyes were closed in bliss. It took everything I had in me not to throw myself at him.

After torturing me for a moment longer he placed his sweet lips on mine and pushed my own lips apart slightly. He breathed into my mouth. I was so light headed at this point I was gasping for air, pushing my own breath into Edward's mouth in return.

In one of his impossibly quick movements his tongue flashed out and licked my trembling bottom lip. I stopped breathing all together, my heart stuttered for a few seconds and then picked up in double time when my brain finally made the connection of what just happened.

On hearing my heart fail me for that brief moment he pulled away and looked at me. I could see his lips moving as he attempted to regain my attention but I was long gone.

♦

Cool water dripped down my forehead as some far off sound mumbled incoherently. I opened my eyes and saw nothing but blurriness. I blinked several times and my vision returned to me as the colors melded back into their true forms.

I saw the television set on the table near the window. I must be on the couch. I could hear some more mumbling coming from the kitchen. I breathed deeply for a minute and then lifted myself up onto my elbows and swung my legs down towards the floor. A wet cloth dropped down onto the floor from my head. When I looked up Edward and Carlisle were looking at me with worried expressions. The sudden appearance of two beautiful people threw me off balance again. I wobbled where I sat and Edward stretched out his hands to steady me.

"Too close, too fast." I said in a low tone. Carlisle immediately backed off and apologized but Edward lifted me up slowly and positioned me on his lap. I slumped back against him and concentrated on matching my air intake to his. Now relaxed and level headed I turned my head to look him in the eye.

"Warn me next time." My voice was stern but there was definitely a humorous undertone that I hadn't been able to ebb. He looked at me sheepishly, obviously embarrassed, and he looked up to Carlisle and nodded.

"Bella, I'm going to write you both a note to school, you aren't that late but they will want to know why. You tripped of course…" He trailed of sweetly a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He winked at us and then walked out of the room into the kitchen to get paper.

My cheeks instantly went scarlet, my mouth hung open in shock. Edward chuckled beneath me.

"Come on, we have to go." He picked me up and refused to let me back down despite my protests. On the way out the door he picked my backpack up. After locking the door he turned to Carlisle and thanked him for the notes, he placed me in the passenger seat and then was turning the car from his seat before I had even reached around for my buckle.

I stared out the window as we pulled out of the driveway and began to drive at about twice the speed limit down the street. I was thinking about what had just happened. A ridiculous grin snuck onto my face and I couldn't control it. My fingers went up to my lips to where I could still feel the tinkling sensation from his kiss. My grin widened and I heard the melodic voice that was like velvet on my nerves.

"It was well worth the worry over your reaction, you know." I looked over to him in surprise as the ruby red blush crept up onto my face. I hid my face in my hands, my grin transforming into a grimace of embarrassment. His fingers gently pried my hands away from my face and he leaned over and kissed the backs of them before leaning over further to plant a chaste kiss on my lips.

Our gazes locked and as the color slunk back out of my face my mind caught up with my body.

"Edward! Road, eyes, now!" He grinned and pulled into his parking space adroitly without taking his eyes away from mine.

"Silly Bella."

"Show off." I muttered in retort.

The rest of the morning classes passed in the same fashion as they had yesterday. When I arrived at lunch I took smug notice that Mike was doing everything possible not to meet Edward's eyes. The feeling of triumph was practically rolling off him; even I could sense it without connecting it to the look Jasper was giving him right now.

We sat down and I ate while they talked quietly amongst themselves. Edward's hand never left my back which he was rubbing instead of my hand. Alice trailed off in the middle of her sentence. I looked up noticing the loss of her twinkling voice. Her eyes were distant. Jasper held onto her and sent out calming waves.

Within a minute she was back with us. She turned to me and said,

"Bella, we aren't going to be in school tomorrow. You know, a rare sunny day, and I think you should put on your blue top instead of the red one when you get up."

"Why?" Edward and I asked at the same time. Jasper and Alice smiled at us.

"I just think it matches your jeans better. We really should go shopping this weekend."

"I can't Alice, I'm grounded for life, remember?" She seemed to contemplate this for a minute and then looked at me with an evil glint in her topaz eyes.

"Sure." My head whipped around as I pleaded him with my eyes to save me from another trip to the mall. I would rather clean the entire Cullen mansion everyday for the rest of the month (not that it needed it) then go shopping with Alice.

He however, shrugged and looked apologetically back at me. I didn't reach his eyes; there was a clear hint amusement. I glared at him and got up to throw out my tray. I stepped on the hem of my pants and started falling forward when his arms caught me and pulled me to him.

"You can't get away from me that easily you know." He smiled against my ear. I blushed and he released me only to grab onto my hand.

Classes were boring as usual. As seniors we were really just going through the motions now rather than learning anything life changing; not that we did much of that before.

We would be graduating in two months. I had some major choices to make and sitting in class next to the picture of perfection made me realize this. I could have Carlisle change me after graduation, which would avoid another nasty run in with the Volturi.

But no matter how much I feared for the Cullen's lives, and to some extent my own, I couldn't do that. Now that another option had been opened up to me, I wanted to be selfish and take it. I couldn't' marry Edward though.

It had been drilled into my mind since I could talk never to get married young. I know that this is something that Edward didn't understand. In his time, divorce didn't really exist, and he has always seen Carlisle and Esmé happy together. I honestly don't think he has a full grasp of how much could go wrong, and how big of a step it is.

Yet, if I was willing to give him me life, which I am and always have been (as proven by my going to Italy) then maybe I should marry him. In a lot of ways being changed is a larger commitment than marrying him. I would be in existence forever if I, we, went through with this. Forever is an incredibly long time, and I truly believe that any amount of pain in the world was worth it to be with him that long.

My fingers absently traced the small crescent scar where James bit me on my hand. Edward noticed the small motion and looked over to me. His features were smooth but I could see the faint trace of guilt in his eyes. I raised our interlocked hands and kissed his hand gently.

He smiled his crooked smile at me and I know he was itching to ask me what I was thinking. That's it. I know my decision. Being changed would not be a stipulation of us getting married; it would be a bi product. Now I just had to think of a way to tell him.

I blushed and turned my attention back to the teacher, biting my lip in anticipation.

When we left class Alice was instantly by my side.

"Edward, I'm driving Bella home today, we need to plan our shopping trip." Her tone was light and airy as usual but there was a distinct ring of authority. Edward glared at her and turned to give me a kiss goodbye when she added,

"And we are leaving in an hour to hunt so say goodbye now. Don't look at me like that! Carlisle decided a few hours ago and he's about to call your cell."

Sure enough just when she finished, Edward's cell began to vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out only to have Alice's information repeated to him. The entire time he was on the phone Alice was looking at me with so much happiness I thought she was going to explode, she began bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Bella, I have to leave. I'm coming back though! Don't worry about that. Carlisle asked the La Push pack to keep an eye on you when we are gone. I'll be back by tomorrow afternoon for sure. I love you." I nodded and told him I know he was going to come back. "Alice, can you go wait in your car for Bella, I'll drive with Jasper back when we're done talking here." He requested smoothly.

She turned on her heel and happily skipped down the hallway out towards the parking lot.

"What's gotten into her?" He asked me. I had an idea, but I shrugged in response. He stared at me for a second before his speculative gaze turned lustful and teasing. He leaned forward and the full power of his irresistible breath hit me right in the face as I inhaled. I was instantly loopy.

"Hey Bella?"

"Hmm…?"

"I'm warning you." With that he leaned in and proceeded to part my lips with his just as he had done this morning. His strong arms wrapped around my back to support me. After a minute of breathing together he slowly moved slightly closer. He waited, finally my heart beat leveled out again. Then he moved his lips against mine and ran his tongue across the length of my bottom lip and then my top one.

My knees went weak beneath me and I would have fallen over had it not been for him. He pulled back a few inches to look at me in the eyes. His had gone a few shades darker, but not with thirst.

"I love you."

"I love you too." My reply was rushed, my breath still fighting to return to my struggling lungs. He smiled and then swooped me up in his arms and brought me out to Alice's car. He put me into the passenger seat and lay one last tender kiss on my forehead before turning towards his car. I watched him glide to his Volvo from the side view mirror, biting my lip in appreciation of his perfection. Alice burst out laughing causing me to turn bright red again.

"Shush Alice." She continued to giggle as we reached the road. When we pulled up to my house and turned off the car. She angled herself so her back was facing the door and tucked her legs up underneath her. I mirrored her position.

"So…" I began.

"Oh my god, Bella! I'm so happy right now I feel like… I don't even know! This is amazing; you have no idea how happy this is going to make him!" I smiled at the thought.

"That's all I want to do, that, and be with him forever." She squealed in delight and then threw herself across the small distance between us to capture me in a bone crushing hug.

"I have to go Bella but this conversation is so far from over. We have so much to plan. How are you going to tell him? Well of course you don't know yet because I would have… oh never mind. Just think about it while we're gone. I'll be keeping my thoughts locked up tight so he'll have no idea. And by the by, Jacob will not be joining the wolves in their watch tonight so you don't have to worry about dealing with him quite yet because I know you aren't ready to." I agreed and gave her a kiss on the cheek before exiting the car.

The whir of the power windows made me turn my head back towards the car.

"Seriously, about that top Bella, don't wear it tomorrow." With one last gleaming smile she pulled out of the driveway and was gone before I could blink.

I walked inside the house and already felt my day slow down. This was going to be a long stint of time. I went upstairs and did my homework. I came downstairs to begin making dinner for Charlie when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Bella, I just wanted to call you and tell you that I love you, again." His angelic voice wafted to my ears, still beautiful, even over a telephone line. I smiled hugely despite myself.

"I love you too, always will. You don't have to worry about me Edward I know you're coming back. I trust you." I heard him sigh and he responded in a tone that had a mix of sadness, joy, and hope.

"I know, I just don't think I can ever tell you enough. I let you go though, I hear Charlie."

"What?" Just as I said this I heard the crunch of the cruiser's tire on the driveway.

"Even over the phone you're more alert then I am, jeez." He laughed and told me he loved me again before we hung up.

Charlie came in and kicked off his boots near the door. I went to go greet him and tripped over the tackle box. Luckily I caught myself on the doorframe.

"That's the third time!" I shrieked as I glared at the box, trying to incinerate it with my eyes.

"Sorry Bells, I'll move it. I should no better than to leave stuff anywhere near a path your feet might find." He said as he laughed at me.

"Oh sure pick on the klutz." I said sarcastically in response. I was really just glad that some of the tense atmosphere between us seemed to have dissipated.

I began to make dinner as he settled himself in front of the TV to catch the end of some game. We ate in silence but it was comfortable. Before I left to go upstairs and shower I gave him a kiss on his cheek. The shower was incredibly relaxing. I stayed under the spray until almost all the hot water was gone, allowing my muscles to loosen to the point where my limbs felt like jelly; kind of like they did when I Edward kissed me like that, but nowhere near as good.

Edward's kiss. Amazing. That's the only word I can think of to describe it. I love him so much. Every second I spend with him seems to reaffirm the decision I made this afternoon. This is by far the right thing to do.

I was in my room finishing up a quick email to Renée when I heard a few light thuds on my window. Oh no, Victoria. My thoughts instantly became frantic trying to think of a way to keep her from Charlie.

When I went over to the window however I was met by the gaze of one Sam Uley. I slid open the window and waved my hand.

"Just letting you know we're here." His rough voice called softly up to the window as to not wake Charlie. I nodded and gave him a grateful look.

"Thank you Sam, I really appreciate you doing this, I know that you don't have to."

"I'd rather her die than you Bella, no matter who you choose." His words were comforting and completely disconcerting at the same time. I gave him a small smile and shut my window. When the lights were off and I was in the bed I tossed and turned for at least two hours. Edward wasn't here with me and now my mind was on Jacob. What kind of mess had I managed to get myself into?

Sleep was evading me no matter how hard I tried to coax it. For now the third time in my life, I took unnecessary cold medicine. After ten minutes my eye lids became too heavy for me to hold open.

In my dream I was in our meadow. The moonlight was shining down through the thin wispy clouds that hung scarcely in the sky. Thousands of clustered stars twinkled together like a musical pattern. I tilted my head back down to look at the meadow itself. The thousands of flowers that coated the tall grass were closed up, protecting themselves from the chill of the night. The small stream could be heard over in the distance as I walked over towards the center, the cool breeze swaying the trees and making light green tall grass brushing up against my leg.

I looked down with a small smile at the grass and then noticed what I was wearing. A wedding gown. It was strapless and had layers of satin sheer fabric rouching horizontally at the bust with small diamonds lain under to make it glimmer. The same light satin material flowed down to my ankles filling out slightly away from me due to soft cotton layers underneath. My long hair was in loose curls down to my waist with some sort of glitter that shone in the light from the moon.

"Bella," I turned to see Edward looking stunning in a black tuxedo, contrasting amazingly with his creamy pallor. He had his hands behind his back and stood a few feet away from me. I smiled and lifted my hand so he could take it. Edward looked at me questioningly with a hint of pity in his eyes.

"Why are you here Bella?"

"What?" He opened his mouth to answer me but then whipped his head to the edge of the forest. His crooked smiling beaming he ran over to the forest a picked up a small figure. I ran over in curiosity and lost my breath when I saw who it was.

"Jessica?" My face became red and I could feel the tears spilling over my eye lids. She asked me what I was doing here but before I could answer her lips were swept into a passionate kiss from Edward. I was sobbing hopelessly now but I heard my name being called again from the woods. I looked up and saw Mike.

"Come on Bella, time to go home." He strode over to me and grabbed my hand pulling me back to the dark trees. I stumbled backwards and fell. As I got up I was wearing my red top that Alice seems to have taken a dislike to. My holey sweatpants were now caked in mud and my hair hung around my face in a mess of knots.

Mike grasped my hand again and was now yanking me into the forest. The last thing I saw was Edward holding Jessica around the waist from behind her with his lips trailing kisses all over her cheek.

"No!" I screamed.

I sat bolt upright in my bed panting. Okay, absolutely no more cough medicine to sleep. I got up and showered hastily. While picking out my outfit I saw the red shirt in the back of my drawer and threw it out in disgust.

I ran down the stairs and tripped on the way down, only gaining one bruise on my shin. Scarfing down a granola bar on my way out the door I made my way to my truck. Sam was leaning against the door and when I looked up I jumped back in surprise. He stared at me for a moment and then just nodded his head once and turned to walk into the woods.

Throwing my bag in the passenger seat I made my way over to school. Classes dragged on even worse then ever since I had no hope of seeing Edward, or his family, at lunch. When I did make it into the lunch room later I noticed that everyone had stopped talking as I walked over to the end of the lunch line. I turned my head back towards the tables in hope of seeing what everyone was quiet about and realized they were all looking at me. My entire body instantly turned crimson and I searched our table for the one human I could count on.

When I made eye contact with Angela I waved my hand at her to beckon her over. As she stood in front of me she began fidgeting nervously with the zipper on her sweater.

"Ang, what's going on? Why was everyone staring at me?"

"Well… Bella. You see… everyone kind of…" She was stammering, clearly uncomfortable.

"Angela I'm not going to get mad at you or anything; just tell me what's going on. Please." I begged her.

She finally looked into my eyes and I saw a great conflict toiling within hers. She saw the pleading in mine and she sighed deeply and nodded her head.

"Jessica told a whole bunch of people you were pregnant," my face lost all its previous color and my mouth hung open but she continued. "Everyone automatically assumed it was true because he never leaves your side and you came in late yesterday with a doctor's note. I don't believe it Bella. I think she is only telling this to get people off Mike's back for missing Edward's face yesterday and hitting that pole. Of course if it is true than I'll help you out anyway you need it because you're my friend." She finished in one long breath. I was in shock.

I was finding it increasingly harder to breathe. I started towards the lunchroom and quickened my pace as I saw everyone following me with their gazes. I tripped on the door jam but I just got up and kept going, Angela loyally following close behind. I made it into the bathroom in just enough time to pitch the entire contents of my stomach into the toilet.

Angela rubbed my back and gave me her water bottle as I worked to steady my gasping breaths.

"I can't believe she would do that." I said in disbelief as Angela handed me a tissue from her purse. I took it but needed several more to mop up the rivers that had formed from my eyes. I can't stay here.

"I think I'm going to go home." I said nodding in agreement with myself. "For the record, I'm not. I haven't even ever…" I didn't finish and didn't need to when she looked at me with understanding.

She helped me over to the office to get excused for the day and then walked over to me to my truck. After confirming that I was okay to drive she said goodbye and I clambered into the cab. I rolled down the windows to get some fresh air and allow the sunlight to stream through.

When I got home I ran upstairs to my room and collapsed onto the bed in tears. After about half an hour I heard a faint knock on my door.

"Hello?"

"Bells? Are you okay? The school called and said you asked to come home and you looked really upset. Can I come in?" Charlie's ruff voice sounded worried and angry.

"Yeah dad." He entered and shuffled nervously before plopping down on the end of my bed and staring at me.

"Bella… Jessica's mom called me today…" Oh no. "And she told me something incredibly disconcerting. You know I don't like Edward, and I know this is a conversation neither of us want to have; so we're going to do it and get it over with." His face had become increasingly redder as he spoke, once again I found myself wondering about his health. He stared at me and I guess he wanted confirmation of the fact so I nodded my head.

"Are you pregnant?"

"No." I replied quickly and sternly. His relief was palpable.

"Are you…with um…?" He looked anywhere but at me.

"No dad! Jessica is just spreading rumors because she's decided she hates me. That's why I came home early by the way, school was just… horrible."

Again his relief was enough that it would have made Jasper break out in unstoppable grins. He nodded then left without another word. I got up changing into shorts and a long t-shirt. Grabbing a spare quilt I headed outside with a book. I had an entire afternoon to spend in the sun and think of ways to fix Jessica's big mouth, and how to tell Edward I want to marry him.

I can't stand how Charlie hates Edward. I need him to trust our love for each other, and he doesn't even know that we are in love. How could he not see that? I fell apart when he left, that's all Charlie sees. Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear. He came out into the driveway and yelled to me that he was going back to work. I told him I'd see him at dinner and I returned to my ponderings.

I lay on my stomach on the quilt and tied my hair back into a loose bun. The sun splayed across my legs making them warm and tingle, hmm the bliss of Vitamin D. I stared without seeing into the forest in front of me. Thoughts of when he left came flooding into my mind despite my efforts to keep them away.

He wouldn't do it again. I told this to myself over and over again. The look in his eyes when he told me he loved me was stronger than it ever had been before, the conviction in his voice made it impossible not to believe. But how could I really be sure? I am gambling with my heart again, last time didn't turn out so well. Just thinking about it brought the ghost of the pain creeping back into my chest. I unconsciously wrapped an arm around my torso.

I was marrying him, he wasn't going to leave. Any moment that I spent with him, even if it was only a second, would be worth the pain. It would be to know I had more time with him than I had before. I don't think I would survive the pain this time, but at least I would know now that he cared even if it was for a brief moment in time.

Why was Jessica out to get me anyway? The drugged up dream from last night assaulted my mind now. That was horrible and it was only a dream. Is that what she's trying to do, and if so, did she really think that would work?

I just can't believe everyone bought her story. The feeling of all those people staring at me this afternoon washed over me. The entire school was there talking about me, spreading false accusations left and right. My eyes started to well up again. I rolled onto my side and tried to concentrate on the sun rays becoming liquid and washing over me, washing this entire day away.

♦

When I woke up I was in my bed. I don't remember leaving the yard, what's going on? I was completely disoriented, when I went to stand up my legs tangled in my sheets and the floor was vaulting towards me. Edward's chuckle was in my ear in an instant, breathing his mouthwatering scent all over my face, relaxing me immediately.

"Edward!" I threw my arms around his neck and crushed my body to his. When I realized what I had done I began to pull away but he brought me back with his strong arms even closer than before. I tucked my head into the crook of his neck and breathed him in. The coolness of his body made me feel at home. I sighed in contentment and when he pulled me back to look into me eyes he asked,

"What's wrong?" I then felt the small tears dribbling down my face. His fingers rose to brush them away and he dried my face with the cuff of his shirt.

"I'm just so happy to see you; I had a horrible day…" I trailed off suddenly not sure if I wanted to tell him what happened.

"Yeah about that, Alice told me what happened and it took Emmett and Jasper holding me down to stop me from coming back here and seriously harming Jessica." I looked at him in shock. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that Bella. I don't know what else to say…"

"You don't have to say anything. I just want to forget about it. I'm lucky Charlie didn't have a heart attack or drive me to some cabin in the woods where I would be home schooled from now on, away from any boys until I was thirty." I said with a small chuckle. Edward looked at me in appreciation.

"How did I get up here anyway?" Now he laughed.

"Silly Bella, I brought up when I found you in the yard with grass stuck in your hair and your quilt twisted around you." He was straining to suppress chuckling at my inadvertent clumsiness in my sleep. "Also, how did you get that huge bruise?" I looked down at my exposed shin, wow; that is a lot bigger than it had been when it first happened. When I looked back up he was frowning at my lack of response.

"Tripped." I stated and shrugged. I huffed and brought myself back into his embrace. He stroked my hair and hummed to me for a few moments before saying,

"By the way, Alice called Charlie this afternoon and asked if since you had such a horrible day today you would be able to go shopping this Friday and have a sleepover with her. He said yes."

I pushed away from him and he looked alarmed and vulnerable.

"Shopping!" I exclaimed in a desperate tone as I flopped onto my bed. I saw his crooked smile lighten up my dim room before the shrill phone ring echoed throughout the house.

**Songs (3):**

'**Hands Down' Dashboard Confessional**

'**Tangled up in me' Skye Sweetnam**

'**BYOB' System of a Down**


	4. Explanations

**AN: I know I suck; I'm not even going to try and explain why it's been so long. I **_**am**_** going to try and continue this story however, so per usual: please read and review.**

**PS: Still need a BETA. **

**Eternal Night**

**4. Explanations **

I lay completely still on the bed. Edward looked from me to the door and back,

"Aren't you going to answer that?"

I stared up at him with a stony expression. I'm not sure if I really want to do that. I took in a deep breath and blinked slowly. When I opened my eyes Edward was nowhere to be seen. A slight panic rose up in the base of my stomach but was diminished when he reappeared in front of me, phone in hand.

I continued to stare at him and he began to shake the phone in his hand.

"Bella, come on, what are you doing?"

The confusion etched across his face made me begin to force my confession out of my mouth. I was scared that it would be Renée. My thought stayed in my head however because Edward's sleek thumb flickered down onto the talk button and a light voice was now echoing throughout the room.

"Hello? Hell-oo?"

My face paled as the voice reached my ears and Edward's mouth fell into an O shape. He looked deep into my eyes like a child that had been caught doing something he had been told naught. As hard as it was to I reached out a slightly trembling hand to take the phone, grazing his cool fingers as did. The familiar touch seemed to jog my brain back into a semi-functioning state.

"Hello?"

"Bella its mom, what took you so long?" Her voice was rushed as normal but had a slightly irritated tone.

"Sorry, I just- you know I kind of-" But I was cut off mid ramble.

"You know what? It's not even important. We need to have a serious chat you and I." Her voice switched into the parental tenor I seldom heard growing up. She must be very angry. My hand went to my stomach and began rubbing small circles in a futile attempt to calm down the bubbling nausea that seemed to have emerged from my conscience.

"Okay."

"Charlie called and told me about that motorcycle you seemed to have deemed worthy of safe recreation." I didn't even respond to this, every possible word I could have said seemed to be locked up in my throat. I curled my knees up to my chest and locked my free arm around them.

"Well?" She asked sternly. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

I opened my mouth to speak but all that came out were my hurried breathes into the receiver of the phone, creating a raspy static. Edward gently picked up my curled form and placed me in his own lap. His chest moved in and out against my back, a reminder of his promise. I inhaled shakily and swallowed before responding.

"I don't have an excuse, just and explanation that I don't think you would understand. Even if I told you it just wouldn't be enough for you to comprehend what made me make that horrible decision. I know that I disappointed you, Charlie, and a few other people, but at the time it seemed right."

"So Edward knows about this then?"

"Yes."

"Does he know that this is his fault entirely?" Edward's chin which had been resting on my shoulder drew back and his hands paused for a brief second before resuming their gentle massage of my arms. I felt my anger begin to prickle in the corners of my eyes bust forced it back.

"Mom, my decision to act recklessly cannot be pinned on him no matter how you try to reason it so don't." I snapped back at her. Renée was silent, but not for long.

"We haven't ever had to worry about you doing anything rash until you met that boy. You have always been responsible and now you are being careless with your life, he has no right to be anywhere near-"

"STOP." My retort came out much louder than I had intended making Edward flinch slightly, Renée's angry breathing was coming in loud and clear over the phone line. After a moment I began again.

"Sorry for yelling, but I need you to understand something. I made that decision and me alone. I also love Edward more than anything in the entire world and nothing is going to change that. I told you that you wouldn't understand if I tried to explain why I did what I did but you can't blame him. We both know I messed up and in all honesty it was bound to happen at some point." I myself was shocked by this little tirade. My mind blanked when I thought of what else to say so I waited. Her sigh was almost imperceptible, but her voiced carried over softer than it had been before.

"I know that you love him Bella, just be careful ok? I'll call Charlie and tell him his punishment is sufficient."

"Thank you mom." Renée didn't even respond before clicking off. I looked down at the phone for a few seconds before shutting it off. Exhaustion seemed to trickle over my body like being in a shower; dripping down until every muscle felt it. I slumped back against Edward and wrapped my own arms over his which were positioned around my waist. I closed my eyes and we sat there motionless and silent for minutes before he broke it.

"You're amazing you know?" I just grunted in return regulating my breathing to match his. He kissed the top of my head and laid his cheek against my hair. After a while I forced myself to open my eyes and glanced at the clock.

"I need to make dinner." Without a word he picked me up effortlessly and carried my down the stairs. I didn't even try and convince him to put me down but instead nuzzled my head into the crook of his neck. When we entered the kitchen he placed my feet gingerly on the tile floor before stepping back to allow me to move freely.

Instead of sitting down at the table and watching like he normally does he stood awkwardly next to it. As I moved between the counter and the refrigerator I noticed his eyes flash between me, the table, and the stove several times. After a minute of him still not sitting down I pivoted to face him, a bag of small red potatoes in my arms.

"Is something wrong?" His eyes darted up to meet mine and held my gaze. Flickers of emotions seemed to light up in his topaz orbs like lightning. Confusion, longing, love, and nervousness? Finally he seemed to settle on determined.

"May I help you?" I stood there and regarded him for a second. Why would he want to help me cook dinner? But rather than ask I nodded my head and turned back to the counter.

I gave him simple instructions for washing and cutting the potatoes. When he saw me grab my own knife from the drawer he grimaced before I retorted his silent objection of being able to handle chopping without killing myself. Edward being Edward was done in a flash and then looked at me expectantly. I tried to explain to him that cooking is more of a relaxing type of thing so when he was given the task of peeling and cutting carrots he went at a more human pace. We worked silently with just the sound of our handiwork filling the room.

When we were about half way through the prep work I decided to ask him a question that had been in the back of my mind since the other day.

"Edward?"

"Yes?" I bit my lip in hesitation. He turned his body slightly so that he was facing me straight on, his eyes boring into mine expectantly. The intensity of his gaze made my mind slow down to a snails pace; I was only snapped out of it when he reached up a hand and brushed my face, a small smirk brandishing his own.

"Why didn't you move out of the way when Mike punched you?" His face immediately transformed into embarrassment and anger. Misjudging the expression, I said,

"Sorry, you don't have to answer if you don't want." I made to turn back towards the counter but his chilly hands wrapped around my own and held me still.

"No, no. I'm not angry with you." He rolled his eyes slightly and gave an exasperated sigh. "It's just this stupid child walking around with bravado thinking he can change anything by throwing around insults. Its ridiculous that he thought talking to me like that was going to make either of us change the way we fell about each other, he's just a malevolent little-"

I held up one finger to his lips and he stopped speaking. His eyes had gotten progressively darker as he spoke. I placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled him down so that our eyes were level. We stared at one another as his face slipped back into a calm formation.

"I wanted him to get hurt." He stated in a flat voice. His eyes searched mine, begging for understanding. And I did. I moved forward until my forehead was resting against his.

"I know that it's hard to deal with hearing what he is saying to you- and in his head," I added on, "but you can't just allow him to break his bones. That was dangerous for him and for you. What if someone besides Alice, Jasper, or I had seen? You could get in even more trouble with the Volturi. And you would have to leave… or…" I broke off and breathed steadily for a moment before continuing. "Look. My place is beside you, it always has been and it always will be. You know that; it shouldn't matter if Mike Newton doesn't understand that, that's his problem. I love you. I need you to tell me that you won't let something like that happen again. If not for me or yourself, think about you family. Do you really want them to have to pack up and move sooner than necessary?"

Edward looked slightly ashamed but regardless he nodded his head against mine. I gave him a small smile and he moved forward and gave me a quick kiss. He pulled back and resumed his cutting. My heartbeat was erratic and when I tried to go back to my own cutting the knife slipped and narrowly missed my finger. Edward's hand flashed out and took the knife; his chest lay still without breath entering his lungs. My hands curled around the edge of the counter as I regained my composure, when I was steady again I held my hand out for the knife and glared at Edward when he hesitated in handing it back to me.

We finished cooking dinner in peace. Around seven thirty Edward sped to the table placing the napkins he had been holding there, kissed me, than disappeared. I was shocked but then I heard the tires of the cruiser crunching onto the driveway. He stumbled into the kitchen and exclaimed,

"It smells great in here Bells. You don't have to cook all the time you know." His mood was polar opposite to what it had been this morning, but I wasn't going to ask why or complain. We ate in silence, when we were finished I rose from my chair to clear the table but Charlie shooed me off upstairs.

When I entered my bedroom after brushing my teeth I just looked at Edward incredulously. He stared back and after a few seconds of frowning, not being able to read my mind, asked what I was thinking.

"Why is he so happy?" Edward chuckled and patted the space on the bed beside where he sat. I went over and he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close to him. "There haven't been sightings of those monstrous bears for about two weeks." The word monstrous came out a bit more sharply than I'm sure he meant I to but I ignored that. I immediately pushed all thoughts of Jacob out of my head.

I checked my email and did some homework while Edward watched me from my bed. He lay with his hands behind his head and feet crossed at the ankles, his head tilted in my direction. Every time I looked at him he stared back with an enamored expression which made me blush. Whenever the color rose in my face he smiled slightly.

Around nine as I was getting out of the shower I heard the phone ring. I changed quickly as I heard Charlie's voice raise for a few seconds. I snuck quietly into my bedroom and asked Edward whom he was speaking to; Renée.

"Bella, I have to go for a bit, Alice called. But I'll be right back I promise. Charlie is going to want to speak to you in a minute anyway and I'm sure he doesn't want to see me here." I nodded and with a light kiss he had vanished through the window seconds later.

I sat on my bed and combed out my hair waiting for the moment Charlie would come up. Finally I heard his tired feet trudge up the stair case and stop briefly outside my room. He knocked.

"Come in" Charlie opened the door and stepped partially into the room. His face, so content before, had a massive grimace placed upon it.

"I just spoke to your mom." He stopped and breathed in deeply. "She thinks your punishment is enough, which I agree with. What I don't agree with however is a small stipulation she has decided is necessary." Oh no. "Renée wants you to be able to see… to be able to see-" He stopped again and was making a visible effort to calm himself. "Edward." He finished.

Light poured into the window, doves flew around my bedroom, symphonic music played gallantly in the background… ok, no. But it may as well have because the feeling of elation inside of me was so powerful I nearly fell off the side of the bed. I tried to hide my joy but a small smile crept onto my face anyway. Charlie spotted this and added quickly,

"That doesn't mean that he is going to be around here all the time Bella. You are still grounded. He can come for an hour every other day, while I am home. That boy is not allowed within a hundred meters of this house if I am not here, is that understood?"

I nodded fervently and he sighed again and turned out of the room shutting the door lightly behind him. A few minutes later Edward climbed back through the window and I jumped on him smiling like an idiot.

"What has got you so happy now?" He asked smiling hugely in front of me. My arms were wrapped tightly around his neck and his face was inches away. I explained quickly about what Renée had told Charlie to do and Edward kept smiling but asked me how that would be different form any other day. I placed a hand on either side of his face and whisper screamed,

"Because it means she doesn't hate you!" My smile never faltered as I said it and he just smiled again and locked eyes with me.

"You're beautiful." He stated in a very matter of fact tone. When I rolled my eyes he touched my face.

"You Isabella Swan are beautiful. I love you, so even if you are going to be blind and not recognize it yourself, humor me?" I stared at him for a moment. Even if I didn't think I was beautiful I could try to recognize that I was beautiful to him. I just smiled again and hugged myself to his chest. He leaned back onto the bed and drew the covers over the two of us. We lay there entwined with each other. I was almost asleep when I remembered something.

"Edward?"

"Yes my love?"

"What did Alice want?" He hesitated for a minute and that made me lean up on an elbow and peer into his face, with his eyes closed I could not detect what he was hiding.

"You'll see tomorrow." He lifted his arm again and after a moment I snuggled back underneath it.

♦

Driving to school the next day I racked my brain as to what Alice could possibly be planning. All of my attempts to get Edward to tell me were pointless; he wouldn't even give me a hint. He pulled into a parking space towards the back of the lot, to sit privately for a few minutes before we had to head inside. I turned toward Edward and stared deeply into his eyes. Maybe I would be able to dazzle him into telling me. Fat chance; but it's worth a shot. I stroked his face from his temple along his jaw line; I leaned in closer and allowed my breath to cascade into his face. He breathed deeply and his eyes took on a clouded haze.

"Now; what is Alice planning?" He blinked a few times and leaned closer to graze my lips with his own. Now my mind was starting to become foggy. What am I trying to get him to do?

"She's taking us to-" his raspy response was cut off by a thud on the windshield. We both snapped back and turned to see the disturbance. Alice was standing there clad in her pink raincoat with black heels, hands on her hips, glaring at the two of us. She stomped gracefully over to the drivers' side window and when it was rolled down she stuck her head in.

"Bella, that's not fair. You're just going to have to wait." She said sternly. The color began to rise in my cheeks and I looked out my window ashamed. I saw Edwards hand out of my peripheral vision sneak over the console to my own, but before it reached Alice spoke up again.

"And You!" Our heads instantly were directed to her again. "You do not tell her. You promised. Got it?" Edward rolled his eyes and nodded his head. With that she smiled politely and pranced off to meet Jasper near the front door. We sat in silence for a minute, than Edward turned to me and said accusingly,

"You dazzled me." My face began to burn a deep red and my hand fumbled on the door handle to let myself out. The second my foot was out of the car Edward was picking me up and shutting the door himself. He began to walk towards the school. He bent his face down towards my own.

"Not that I didn't enjoy it, of course." I blushed again and buried my head in his chest. I mumbled into his body,

"Please put me down." He stopped walking and set me on my feet but held onto my hand. We walked into the building three together and into class.

♦

Right before lunch I had to suffer through gym class. Indoor soccer is what they called the torture today. I tripped a few times while jogging down the court and the one time I kicked the ball, my teammate thought I was someone else and passed to me; it hit Lauren in the shoulder. As if she didn't hate me enough already.

When I entered the locker room I had to pass her in order to reach my locker. She jabbed an elbow into my arm which hurt, I glared at her but kept my mouth shut. As I opened my locker a small box fell out onto the floor. Everyone was watching as I picked it up to see what it was. Just as I read the print my jaw dropped open and Alice stormed into the locker room. I looked up at her shock written on my face but she just shoved past Lauren took my hand and led me out of the locker room and into a nearby bathroom.

Tears were trickling down my face. The pregnancy test was still in my hands, the cardboard box bending in on the sides from where I was squeezing it. Alice pried my fingers off and threw it into the trashcan. I crossed m arms over my chest and bent my head down, getting control over my tear ducts. How come I have to cry like this all the time?

"I don't understand why she hates me so much. Either of them actually. I know why Jess is angry but you'd think she would be over that by now." Alice didn't respond but handed me a tissue. A few silent moments passed.

"You know what? I'll tell you why I called Edward home last night I think. You know how I am going to take you shopping tonight?" I had forgotten about that. My hand unintentionally reached up to rub my forehead as I nodded. "Well I wanted to tell him that I found this great bookstore. And he has decided to tag along. Its not big news or anything important but we thought you would enjoy a break from clothes shopping to do something you will enjoy."

A smile crept onto my face and I reached forward and drew Alice into a hug. As I threw my tissue into the trashcan Alice tossed her delicate hands in the air and exclaimed,

"Now lets' go to lunch, I'm starving!" I started cracking up as I looked up at her sheer topaz eyes.

"I'm sure they'll save you a piece of pizza." We were laughing as we came into the lunchroom. When I sat down Edward wrapped his arms around me and pulled me onto his lap. I made a small movement to get back into my own chair and his arms dropped and his face flashed hurt for a second before he compiled his features and stared forward, face frozen. I opened my mouth to apologize but his eyes flashed to the left where Alice was sitting. I somehow knew she was telling him what happened without speaking out loud. And I knew I was right as his jaw locked and a small growl emanated from his chest. The table took on an air of calm and I glanced over at Jasper who was staring down Edward with a stern face.

"Hey," When he looked down at me I continued. "Don't worry about it." He opened his mouth to contradict me but I just shook my head. He stared at me then sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. Its amazing how someone who has been alive for almost one hundred years can act like a child.

After school I saw him heading towards the door to wait for me. I snuck out of the classroom and began to run as lightly as I could down the hall. I passed an air vent and he turned around, his eyes searching the hallway packed with students, with a confused look on his face. He found me just as I was launching myself up at him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. His hands went to my back to support me.

"I love you."

"I love you too." Cautioning him with my eyes I kissed him on the lips my hands creeping up to tangle in his hair. He placed me back on the ground but his hands remained on my hips.

"You are driving me crazy." I smiled at him and began walking out to his car.

The trip up to Port Angeles was short compared to the time it had taken Jessica and me to get there. Alice was talking up a storm about various things and had me laughing all the time as Edward drove; a small smile on his face. As I was dragged into clothing store after clothing store I absolutely refused to let her buy me anything; which she did anyway. For about an hour during the trip Edward disappeared and wouldn't tell me where he had gone when he came back.

The last store we stopped at was the bookstore. It was on the edge of the block closest to the boardwalk so you could see the ocean clearly. We went in and atmosphere of the small shop was amazing. The lights were low, and there were a small tables set up next to the windows. One had a selection of classics on it. When I turned to give a questioning glance at Edward I noticed Alice was gone. He placed his hand on the small of my back and guided me over to the table.

"I picked out a few you might like, but you should have a look around anyway, this is a very good store."

He pointed towards the chair that was ajar from the table, ready to be sat in. I sat down and sifted through the pile. There were several from Jane Austen and some more modern novels from Salinger among others. I picked up one worn copy of _Emma_ by Austen.

"I'm going to get this one, I think." Edward looked down at me with a frown on his face.

"Bella, I got all those for you already." My face reddened immediately and I stood, replacing the book on the table.

"I told you to stop buying me stuff. You have to return them."

"No I don't, and you're being ridiculous. You love to read and I got them for you."

"Well thank you for thinking of it but I do not want you spending your money on me." He opened his mouth but I cut him off. "I know you have a lot but I don't want you wasting it on me or whatever, you know-" He put a slender finger over my lips and got very close to my face. The scent of his skin made me lightheaded, my brain was instantly incoherent.

"Bella, please." My brain was moving at a snail's pace trying to figure out what exactly I was nodding my head to. A smirk crept onto his face as he piled books in his arms and led me back out of the store. After a few minutes of walking back to the car my mind caught up.

"That was NOT fair!" Edward had been lost in his own thoughts and seemed shocked by my outburst. Alice came out of no where and was instantly at my side.

"Come on Bells we're going home to have a sleepover, well, you'll sleep. Not the point. Let's go!" She grabbed my hand and practically dragged my over to the waiting Volvo.

The entire ride home I refused to look at Edward. Alice picked up on my still sour mood and didn't try to engage me in conversation. He kept glancing my way and his hands tightened on the steering wheel a few times. The speed he was driving at was increasing and I was death gripping the safety handle on the door, knuckles white. When we pulled off the dark road onto their deserted driveway and parked my hand was sore from holding on. Alice got out of the car instantly and jet up the stairs to where Jasper was waiting. Alice had a hold of his hand but he stood and stared down at the Volvo which we were still buckled into.

Our tense little bubble seemed to deflate a small amount but was still strong. Alice's loose hand was flapping around as she spoke to him and she finally just gave up and yanked him into the house.

Edward sat with his hands in his lap, eyes glued to them, like his thumbs were suddenly the most interesting things in the world. I huffed out some air and got out of the car. I went to walk around the back of it and into the house but Edward was suddenly there making me stumble from surprise. He caught and steadied me. I crossed my arms over my chest forcing him to move his hands.

"You can't just do that all the time Edward" I spoke quietly.

"I wasn't going to let you fall Bella" He replied.

"That's not what I'm talking about." When I didn't say anything further he asked me what specifically I was referring to. "You can't just buy me things, Edward. We are already unequal and when you do stuff like that the scale is even less balanced. I don't want all this material stuff and you know that, I just want you. Period. End of story." A few traitor tears leaked from my eyes. I tried to play it off by wiping them on my sleeves as I brought my hands to my hair to re-do my ponytail.

"Bella don't-" He stopped himself. His pale hand drifted up to my face and rubbed my cheek lightly. The moonlight gave him an aura of angelic proportions as he stepped towards me and engulfed me in a tight embrace. "I'll try not to, really. I just want you to know how much I love you. I would do anything for you Bella. Absolutely anything." He breathed in deeply and leaned his head back so he was looking at the sky. He mumbled to himself something that I'm sure I wasn't supposed to hear in that tone but did. "Just marry me already would you?"

I had been working out the perfect time to tell him I would accept his proposal. I'd been racking my brain for the past few days trying to come up with some majestic plan. I could keep my mouth shut right now and not let him know I heard him. I should wait until I can surprise him.

"I will." My voice broke through the night air like fire through ice. I wasn't even aware I had said it out loud until he looked down at me in shock.

"What?" I looked into his beautiful eyes and stepped up onto my tippy toes, bringing my mouth right to his ear.

"I will marry you." I whispered. His hands flew up to his hair which he grabbed between his fingers in small bunches. His eyes danced with light but were still guarded.

"Are you sure Bella?"

"Yes." I said smiling. His answering smile was massive. He picked me up and spun me around. He set me down and was shaking his hands down at his sides, suddenly filled with energy. He sprinted off in a blur and a few seconds was in front of me on one knee still smiling like I had never seen him before. I closed my eyes as he took hold of my hand and slipped the ring on.

"This doesn't count because I bought it a long time ago okay?" I nodded and opened my eyes. A plain white gold band with a diamond and smaller brown diamonds on either side shone in the moonlight. After a long silent moment I chocked out a thank you. He picked me up and ran up vampire speed to his room.

He lay on the couch with me sprawled out on top of him stroking my hair, still smiling. I had never been as sure of my decision as I was at that moment. No matter how hard it will be I can remember this.

"You know," His voice cut our silence, "Alice is just about bursting right now. She's yelling at me in my head to tell the family so she can… release her excitement." I laughed lightly into his chest.

"Alright then"

"Can everyone come up here for a moment please." He spoke in a normal conversational voice. Within seconds the room had filled with Esmé, Carlisle, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper who was smiling, and a bouncing Alice. Edward sat up and repositioned me on his lap with one hand on my shoulder and one on my leg.

"Bella," He smiled and kissed me on the cheek, "has agreed to marry me." Esmé's face burst into a smile almost as big as Edwards had been. Alice let out a small yelp of joy and hugged Jasper ferociously.

"It's about time." Said Emmett bluntly, only to be elbowed by Rosalie who turned back to me and gave me a small smile.

"Congratulations you two." Carlisle said as he wrapped an arm around Esmé whose eyes shone with tears that could never be spilt.

They all vacated the room a minute or two later.

"I'll be right back." He reluctantly dropped his arms and let me get up. I went into his bathroom and changed into the pajamas Alice had left me there. I brushed my teeth and hair and returned to his room.

I fell asleep to the sound of my lullaby being hummed to me, every note reverberating through his chest against my cheek.

**Ah! This took me SO long to write, I need to organize my mind!**

**Songs (6):**

**Ripchord - Rilo Kiley**

**A Certain Romance - Arctic Monkeys**

**So Damn Clever - Plain White T's**

**Beating Heart Baby - Head Automatica**

**Warning - Incubus**

**My December - Linkin Park **


	5. Annoyances

**AN: For the love of all that is fantastical in this world REVIEW!**

** Eternal Night**

**5. Annoyances **

The rest of the weekend passed without consequence. Charlie was relentless in his punishment; never allowing Edward to stay even a few extra minutes past the allotted time limit. Friday night when I got home I had taken off the ring and hidden it a drawer in the box Edward gave me. I knew that neither Renée nor Charlie was going to take the news very well. Even if Renée is making Charlie allow me to see Edward, she did not want me making a choice this huge so early in my life, besides, last time she saw us together I told her it was just a 'crush'.

On Monday when we entered school there were several multicolored posters duck taped to the wall advertising a 'school is almost over' dance. I saw one before Edward did and immediately sped up to get past it before he took notice. But Edward reads minds, and found out anyway. Stupid vampire abilities.

But that was yesterday and Edward had been badgering me about going practically non stop.

"Bella, be reasonable. This is a good human experience and since you are so hell bent on ending your life you should take advantage of it."

"First of all, don't say hell bent because that's not something I feel like proving wrong to you right now. Secondly I HATE dancing. I wouldn't go normally and I'm not going now."

"College then?" Edward's eyes held hope and stubbornness.

"You've got to be kidding me." I brought my hand up to my face and covered my eyes wishing this conversation would dissolve into thin air. Edward gently pried my fingers off of my face and intertwined his own through them. I kept my eyes shut knowing that the second I opened them it would all be over. It is virtually impossible to win an argument with him.

Even though we disagree all the time (we're both so stubborn), I can always look at it from his side ad try to understand what he is talking about. He tries the same also but this is something that he is not giving up on. This and changing me. That particular topic is so touchy that we don't bring it up unless absolutely necessary, which is basically never; despite prodding from Alice and Emmett.

"Don't be mad. Please. I just think that you should finish college first you know? It would be good for you." Like I don't know the importance of a college education. But it pales dramatically in comparison to the thought of being so much older then him, forever. I can't stand the fact that I'm already older then him by almost two years, it shouldn't be this way. We lost so much time together this year, time we can never get back. The sooner we start our lives together as equals, the sooner we can forget about that.

Everything in my life right now seems to be pending on this. Ignoring the fact that there are several beings in this world right now that would love to kill me, this is about us. But that can't be ignored. Victoria: she's homicidal and wants me ripped off the face of this Earth, probably literally. Then the Volturi have ordered that I be changed or killed. Edward seems to think that they won't hold up on their end of the bargain for a long time but I disagree and think testing that particular boundary would be a suicidal decision in itself.

"Edward I can't talk about this right now okay? I'm tired of thinking about it and I don't need it voiced." His hands left my own and I opened my eyes to gauge his exact reaction to my words. He was looking down at me, trying to pry into my mind unsuccessfully.

"I'm just trying to do what is going to be good for you. It's bad enough that…"

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No, what?" Edward was flat out not looking me in the face now.

"It's bad enough that you are choosing between life and death here but now you aren't even going to appreciate the time you have left of being…you." That stung. I actually stumbled back a bit from the blow those words gave me. My mouth opened and closed a few times. Every retort, every reason I had for doing this, was reeling through my head but seemed unable to escape in words. I feel like I had just… jumped off a cliff. That initial freeze of the unexpected water rushing over me and chilling me to the bone, making it difficult to breathe.

I walked around him slowly without looking into his eyes and made my way to the lunch room without him. I saw him flinch in my direction out of the corner of my eye but he thought better of it. I crossed the cafeteria and sat next to Alice, completely silent. She was in the middle of talking to Jasper and turned to me when I didn't even say hello. My best friend stared at my face for a few seconds before her eyes flashed to the empty doorway. She grabbed the untouched pudding cup off of her tray and slid it towards me with a plastic spoon. I pulled it closer in front of me and peeled back the aluminum foil, dipping in the utensil and putting pudding in my mouth to keep myself from crying.

I swallowed the mouthful and pushed it away shaking my head slightly. I put my right elbow on the table balling my fingers into a fist and putting them over my lips, my chin supported by my palm. Staring out the window my vision became blurry but I refused to cry. I decided right then and there that I wouldn't anymore, no more angry tears, such a waste of energy. I should be pummeling him into the ground. I locked my emotions up, like I had in Phoenix. Jasper looked over my direction and gave me a questioning stare.

"Bella, are you ok? I can't tell…" My gaze flitted over to him for a second.

"Yes I'm fine." I said trying to push some cheer into my voice. "Just not very hungry." A few minutes later Edward came and sat down next to me at the table, sending furtive glances my way. I didn't look at him but answered the few questions Alice asked me directly, never offering spare information. After school I walked out and passed Edward, asking for a ride home from Alice.

"Sure." She said looking over at Edward who stared down at his car keys with disgust. When I got into my house I went and sat at the kitchen table without moving. Charlie wouldn't be home for several hours. I stared down at the pattern of the wood grains in the table watching them weave away and towards each other.

"Are you going to just stand there or are you going to say something?" I asked after about half an hour. Edward came forward from the door my back was to.

"You're much more observant then I give you credit for." He tried to joke.

"I'm not a complete fool." I clipped.

"I never said-" We were silent for a few minutes before he came around the circular table to sit on the floor in front of me, cross legged.

More silence.

"Do you still love me?" He whispered so low I almost didn't hear, almost. A frown sketched onto my face.

"That is an absolutely vile question. I can't believe you are even asking me that. Seriously, this isn't about me choosing life or death. This is about me never choosing who I fell in love with, but doing everything in my power to stay with that person. Everything and anything Edward. This has nothing to do with that at all and you know it." I breathed in. "I didn't agree to marry you to become a vampire. I agreed to marry you because I realized it would be stupid not to when I can't even breath properly without you. Let alone live without a hole in my chest." I paused, "And I won't be a different person, I'll still be me, just… less clumsy, hopefully."

More Silence.

"I'm an idiot.'

"Yes you are." He hung his head even lower.

"It seems like every time I start to redeem myself I wind up making it worse."

"Maybe you just need to trust me to know what's best for me every one in a while." I said this calmly, watching him for a reaction. He sat and seemed to just think this over. He took a bottle cap out of his pocket and began spinning it on the floor. I watched it as it spun faster and faster, déjà vu over taking me.

"This is the same one you know." He stated throwing a small glance up my way. I felt my mood soften. "I kept it before I even knew. I have a lot of little things like this. An indulgence I allowed myself when I was away from you." He looked up at me full on then. Our gazes caught and we gazed at each other, becoming lost in our own small world. His eyes were trapping his emotions and thoughts, not releasing a glimpse of his mind to me. We continued to stare, and after a while his dark eyes expressed longing and love.

I sat forward in my seat and lay a light kiss on his lips. His eyes closed, as I moved away his hand flashed out to mine and held it there. His touch sent my heart into frantic palpitations. A small smile fought its way onto my face as I looked at his closed eyes, dark shadows underneath them. I leaned forward and kissed him again saying gently,

"Go eat something." His face formed a small grimace but he nodded and got up. He stroked the side of my face in one of his blindingly fast movements; causing déjà vu again, and he left.

I decided to make lasagna for dinner tonight. While the noodles cooked and the sauce heated up I did some homework, keeping my mind busy. When that was done I chopped some garlic to put in the sauce and cheese to be lain on top of the lasagna when I put it in the oven. Charlie walked in right as I was taking it out, perfectly browned.

"Wow Bells, looks great." We ate in silence except for Charlie asking me how my day went and me telling him it was fine. When he was done he shuffled off into the living room and turned on the sports channel. I was cleaning the dishes when I felt a cool breath on the side of my face. I turned and gave a small smile to Edward who instantly smiled back. He held up a cobalt blue plate.

"Esmé made you cookies." I laughed lightly and told him to put them on the counter. I finished up and began packing my backpack to bring upstairs. Edward moved vampire speed and had it all done within seconds. Charlie walked back into the room, looking down, and went to grab a glass from the cabinet. When he looked up at me next to the plate of cookies he said,

"Where are those from?"

"Esmé dropped them off this afternoon, have one." He took one off the plate and popped it into his mouth. He chewed slowly staring down into his glass of water. He grabbed two more off the plate, threw me a sheepish grin and went back into the living room. I took one and broke off small pieces to eat as I made my way upstairs, they tasted amazing.

When I entered my room I brushed the cookie crumbs off my hands and grabbed my bathroom bag. My shower was long and hot. I didn't rush anything. By the time I got out my legs were light pink from being in the hot spray so long. I brushed out my hair put in some milky looking cream Alice gave me, and blow dried it so it was impeccably straight. I brushed my teeth, got dressed, and walked back into my bedroom squeaky clean.

I got to the middle of the room before I realized that Edward wasn't in there. I called him quietly but he didn't appear. Is he that bothered by this that he left? Did I take too long in the shower? I felt tears forming but I pushed them back. I went over to my nightstand and put in the CD that Phil gave me. I listened to the clashing beats as I checked my email and then shutdown my computer. I got up and began crossing the floor to my bed, facing the fact I would have to try to fall asleep without Edward's comforting embrace.

I was halfway there when something slammed into me and sent me flying onto the bed. The speed let me know that it was a vampire. This is it, the end, Victoria got by everyone and now I am going to die. As I landed on the bed my wrists were trapped by cool hands and brought out to the sides, pinned down. I didn't even have time to make a sound of protest before a pair of lips came crashing down on mine. Edward moved down my neck laying sweet kisses along the way as my heart nearly threw itself out of my chest.

"That…wasn't…nice…" I breathed out in between huffs of air. My chest was rising and falling rapidly, putting my bedroom door in and out of view. Edward was straddling me, supporting his weight on his knees. He pulled back and looked me in the face. He leaned closer and closer, his breath making my completely incoherent.

"Sorry." He said with a smirk. He leaned down and laid a gentle kiss on my lips allowing my hands to find his auburn tresses. His lips moved softly against mine as his hands moved down my waist to the brim of my pajama shirt. His lips and breath became faster against me as he put his hands under the light fabric and just held me, his hands never going higher. It was getting harder for me to breathe; Edward released my lips and kissed my neck again. A small moan emitted from me as Edward grazed my neck with his teeth. His fingers made small kneading motions on my bare skin sending chills throughout my body. Apparently Edward left the boundaries somewhere else tonight.

As soon as I thought that his head snapped up. I thought he couldn't read my mind! But his eyes were the lightest I had seen them in a while, and seemed to glow in the dark of my tiny bedroom.

"Don't move." He said. He got off me and went through the window. I tried to get control over my breathing, my face was flushed all over and I was a mix of exhausted and exuberant. Everywhere he had touched was tingling. I waited for him to return; the CD ended and shut off. I listened to the air entering and leaving my lungs; my body itself screaming for his love.

♦

A slight wind blew, casting pieces of my hair into my face. I raised my hand to brush them away. The sea was crashing up against the rocks below, making background noise for the conversation going on next to me. I turned to face my companion and saw Jacob lurking near the trees. I made no move towards him and he made none towards me. More hair was swept into my face only this time, cool fingers brushed it away before I could. Edward smiled down at me and my own face automatically did as well.

"I love you Bella."

"I love you too Edward."

"Bella? Bella? Bella, Bells come on." A chilly hand traced up and down my arm. A smooth nose glided along my jaw line and laid a kiss on my collarbone. "Bella wake up." I opened my eyes slowly to be met with Edward's face. A smile met my own as I looked into his still light eyes. "You fell asleep on me." He chuckled. I looked at the clock next to the bed; time to get ready for school.

"Sorry."

"It's fine; we probably shouldn't have… a bit too far maybe." I sighed and saw Edward's chest expand further.

"You looked fine before you left." I stated simply. I got up from my bed and pecked him on the forehead. "Human moment." I looked in the bathroom mirror and needless to say my hair was an absolute mess. I combed through it for a few minutes until it returned to the straight style I made it last night. I finished doing everything I needed to in the bathroom before returning to my room to get an outfit. When I entered Edward looked up at me and asked,

"Can I do it?" I nodded my head and watched him select a few items from the dresser at vampire speed. He pushed them into my arms and then turned me around to face the door again, laying a kiss on the top of my head. I quickly dressed into my favorite pair of jeans and blue long sleeved v neck shirt he picked out, with my black bra underneath. I pulled on my black zip up hoodie and pulled the hood up. My face was beet red when I opened the door. Edward picked me up and brought me into the kitchen despite my protests for him to put me down. He watched me as I moved around the kitchen grabbing a small bowl of cereal.

"I didn't leave because of control last night." This made me spin around to face him with a confused look and my spoon and bowl dangling limply in my hands.

"What?"

"Alice was there, she said she needed to tell me something very important but she didn't want to …intrude." My face immediately turned scarlet again and I crossed my arms over my chest, the spoon digging into my side.

"So…?"

"She saw Sam calling Carlisle is all." He looked up to my face but I composed my face into indifference rather than the shock I was feeling.

"Oh, that's…interesting?" He smiled slightly.

"Yes, it's interesting. We're going to be late if we don't leave soon." This brought me back into motion and soon I was done eating and had cleaned the bowl. We made it to school with a few minutes to spare. As we walked toward the school hand in hand I looked up at Edward quickly, he glanced down at me and my heart fluttered; I also tripped. Edward tried hard to restrain himself but I small chuckle escaped as he steadied me. I pouted but he quickly wiped it away with a kiss.

"So I was thinking on the way here…"

"No way, I honestly wasn't sure if you ever did or not, seem as how I can't hear you." My jaw dropped in shock but I couldn't help but join him in laughing, after I playfully smacked his arm of course.

"I'm serious." We reached the awning over the sidewalk and stopped moving for a moment. It was then that Mike decided to come up to us.

"Hey, Bella! Cullen." He added distastefully. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" I gave a exasperated sigh but smiled and said,

"Sure Mike." I squeezed Edward's hand gently and released it, stepping about 15 feet away to where Mike had repositioned himself.

"So Bella, I was wondering if you would like to go to the dance with me. As friends of course!" He added quickly, shaking his palms in front of me. After about thirty seconds of me being in shock I answered.

"Mike… that's nice of you, but that is a horrible idea and I think you know that. I'm sorry but no." I didn't even give him the opportunity to reply but turned on my heel and quickly made my way back to where Edward was fuming. I grabbed his hand and tugged on it until he started moving, then half dragged him into the building. Once we were out of Mike's eyesight I whirled on him.

"Before the idiot interrupted me do you want to know what I was going to say?" Edward was glaring out the door to where Mike had been standing, growls lowly rising from his chest. "Edward." I said sharply. His gaze drifted back to me, his eyes visibly blacker. "I was actually going to say I was thinking that maybe we could go to the dance together after all… maybe if you still wanted me to go."

It seemed to take him a minute to concentrate on the words I had strung together. His face lightened a little, a very little. "Yes, we should do that." He said distractedly, planning Newton's terrible death in his head. "God I hate that kid."

♦

That night Edward was allowed to come over for one hour of Charlie supervised time. Edward arrived early but waited outside until the chief got home. When Charlie came in Edward trailed him with a somewhat troubled expression. Charlie's face was no better.

**AN: Short and somewhat anti-climatic but I had to stop it there for various reasons**

**Songs (4):**

**You Blew Me Off – Blare Jr.**

**Colorblind – Counting Crows**

**Every You Every Me – Placebo**

**Bedroom Dancing – Day One**


	6. Boomerang

**AN: Its short and it took forever but its here, Chapter 6. Eclipse kind of threw me off a bit but I'm trying to figure out where this is going. I start school next week so unfortunately updates will be spaced apart, senior year and all you know?**

**Eternal Night**

**6. Boomerang**

"Hi Dad. You alright?" He looked up at me.

"Yeah I'm fine, but some more hikers went missing this afternoon near La Push." I paled and looked at Edward who gave me a little nod, confirming my worry.

Victoria was back.

"Um…I'm sorry… you aren't going to be going back in there are you?" I said quietly, apprehension filling my voice toward the end.

"I have to Bells, it's my job." He said sternly. "Don't worry about me, focus on school." A feeble attempt to sidetrack me. I stood still next to the kitchen table; Charlie fidgeted from foot to foot and was obviously looking for an excuse to leave the room.

"I'm not feeling well, I'm going to go lay down." My voice was hardly audible. Charlie nodded and looked to Edward expectantly. Edward's gaze never moved from me, as I carefully avoided looking right into his eyes.

"Well Chief Swan, I should get home then. Good seeing you, as always." He held out his hand politely for Charlie to shake, which he did with a grimace. Charlie didn't leave the room however, so Edward's farewell was a gossamer kiss on my hand which he squeezed gently before walking out the front door.

"It's really nothing to worry about Bells." He said, trying to convince himself as well as me. With that he left the room and I made my way slowly towards the staircase. I took each step carefully, unsure of my balance.

I went into the bathroom and looked at my face in the mirror. My usual alabaster skin looked practically corpse like from the lack of color. My eyes held a wary looking fear, one that had snuck up on me from the recesses of my mind. I took in a shaky breath and went into my bedroom. I sat on the bed and jumped when Edward touched my shoulder. I hadn't even heard the window open. He pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his long arms around me, holding me close in his strong embrace.

Soon tears were leaking out of my eyes. I cried silently into Edward's chest for I don't know how long. He rubbed my back and told me everything was going to be fine and not to worry because he was going to protect me. He promised she wouldn't come anywhere near me. The more he said those things the faster the hot tears pooled down my face. I pushed away from his and held my own face in my hands mumbling into them.

"I don't care about me. If Charlie gets hurt, or someone he works with, or one of you, or the tribe, anyone. Any single scratch on anyone is my fault. I should have never… I don't know what, but I shouldn't have."

"I need to leave." I stated simply, resolved. I wiped my leftover tears on my sleeve and nodded my head stiffly. It's the only solution. At least if I'm not here and she follows me somewhere else to kill me… Charlie won't get hurt.

"Don't even think of that as an option." Edward said, disgusted. "That didn't work out to well last time, if you remember." He said in a lighter tone, trying to pull me out of this deep hole. I looked at him now, slightly chiding him with my gaze.

"Not helping." He grasped my hands and pulled me close. His face was mere centimeters away from my own, sending his essence into my senses full on; clouding my mind.

"Bella look at me." I fixed my gaze on the computer refusing to unfix my trance like stare. He asked me twice more and I rudely would not. He tried to duck his face in front of mine but I shut my eyes and breathed harshly through my nose, clamping my mouth shut tight. He released one hand but gathered it into his other. I heard him punch a few buttons on his cell phone and soon he was talking rapidly into the receiver, to quickly for me to comprehend. I tugged on my hand once, but his grip tightened, refusing to let me go. He hung up.

"You can't just keep hold me here like a child forever you know." I snipped. The house phone rang and I heard Charlie lumber into the kitchen to answer. He chuckled once or twice and then hung up. A heard a few more footsteps before he was calling up the stairs.

"Bells, Alice just called, I know it's a school night and your grounded but I said it would be fine for you to stay the night there ok?" My eyes whipped opened and I glared at Edward, using his sister's influence to get Charlie on his side. His eyes bore into mine, refusing to back down.

"Bells?" Charlie was waiting. After a few seconds I heard him begin to climb the staircase and I quickly answered, putting great effort into keeping my voice steady.

"Alright, thanks dad!" He slumped back down the stairs and turned the volume on the TV up, groaning as his team made a move that gave the other team some sort of advantage.

Edwards eyes were flashing emotions so quickly didn't even have time to recognize half of them. Mine were stony and unrelenting, portraying the betrayal I felt. Edward released my hands and got up, walking suavely to my dresser and selecting a few articles of clothing, putting them into my smallest duffle. I watched him move around my room, so beautiful standing here in the simple ness of it all. Every time I moved in the slightest he flinched in my direction, like he was going to have to catch me from running away at any moment.

About ten minutes later Alice walked through my bedroom door. I rose without a word or glance to either of them and made my way downstairs. I told Charlie I would see him tomorrow as cheerfully as I could and walked out to the car, Alice trailing behind to say good bye to the chief. Edward was already sitting in the car when I got over to it, opting for the back seat. When I approached the car the passenger side door swung open, his arm quickly retreating out of my personal bubble. I got in the car as Alice was walking down the brick driveway towards us; her navy blue Wellington boots shining in the porch light. She got in and started the engine, speeding out of the driveway and down the street before I had time to blink.

The ride was silent except for the sounds of Alice's calm, relaxing music playing in the background. My fists unclenched after a few minutes of listening to it, watching the headlights illuminate small patches of whizzing road ahead of the black car. When we pulled in front of the beautiful white house no one in the car moved. Alice watched Edward in the rearview mirror. I saw in the side mirror that he was shaking his head ever so slightly. I continued to watch this exchange, completely unaware of the words being passed between them. Edward continued to shake his head and growled lowly as his eyebrows pulled together in a death glare at the back of Alice's head.

She turned in her seat and stared at him. After a minute she emitted a deep guttural hissing growl type noise. Edward sat still for a moment then gave a final growl before exiting the car and disappearing into the house vampire speed. The only sign of him entering at all was the sound of the door slamming.

Alice muttered something to herself lowly before rolling her eyes and turning to me with a small smile on her face. I tried to smile back but it was quickly diminished.

"Bella… there is a small favor that I'm going to ask you." She near whispered, I looked at her warily and waited for her to continue. "We are going to go in there," she gestured to the house, "and I need you to stay completely silent no matter what you hear." With the look of confusion and irk on my face she elaborated. "It's very important. I _see_ this going better if you wait to talk until I push the conversation your way ok? I just need you to trust me for a little bit." I trusted her with my life, and have. I nodded and unfastened my seatbelt.

The house was warm inside. We entered the light living room.

"Bella!" Emmett said excitedly as I walked in. I threw him a smile, standing still, worrying over where I should sit.

"It's lovely to see you dear," Said Esmé softly. I replied that it was nice to see them all as well. Jasper gave me a small wave which I returned and Rosalie smiled tentatively. Emmett and she were sitting on one of the smaller sofas, his arm around her shoulders, her head leaning on his. Jasper was sitting in a puffy looking chair, Alice went and sat on his lap; he automatically wrapped his arms around her waist intertwining their fingers as she leaned back into him.

Esmé sat with her legs underneath her on the longest couch, Edward was standing dejectedly leaning against the wall. I took a seat on the couch Esmé was on. We were all silent; Carlisle entered the room after a moment. He located me in the room and gave me a smile which I returned.

"So," he began, "Victoria is flitting around the area again, trying to find a way through the pack and us. Which won't happen," He threw me a small smile. "Sam has requested that I go speak to him. He also suggested that I bring along Bella-" At this Edward leapt from his indifferent posture against the wall and growled loudly.

"Absolutely not." Again I saw the look on his face that made me question whether or not anyone would ever go against his wishes. Carlisle however stared at his son, silently communicating with him, but his aura of authority filled the room. Edward slowly slunk into the shadows of the staircase and disappeared from the conversation entirely.

Carlisle turned towards me and began again. "I will not force you to go but let me first say that I think this is a good step in maintaining a peaceful relationship with the tribe. You know them well, do you not?" We all heard Edwards feral growling from upstairs, though it was a muffled sound for me with all the walls and space between us. I saw Esmé flinch slightly out of the corner of my eye.

I considered for a moment. I was starting to feel a mixture of emotions that threatened to crash down on me at any given second. Jasper sent me a wave of calm. I welded it in, using it to calm my scattered thoughts and make my decision, aware that every pair of eyes in the room was on me. Edward was waiting silently in his room for my answer, no doubt using some ones mind to see me from there. I was about to open my mouth to reply but Emmett's gruff but light voice filled the air.

"I don't Carlisle… that doesn't sound like a good idea… what did that Jacob mutt say about this?" My head shot up and I stared at him with incredulous and fury filled eyes. My mouth was hanging open; his face looked regretful, like he had just slipped a secret. I felt the heat raising in my face and I was about to ask what was going on but Alice's voice rang through my head, _completely silent no matter what you hear._ I glanced at her and she gave me an almost imperceptible shake of the head, I really only saw her jet black hair shift in the speed.

Carlisle was throwing anxious glances between Emmett and I. Edward appeared at the bottom of the staircase, now wearing flannel bottoms and a white tee shirt. Esmé shifted uncomfortably in her seat. After a few very awkward shock filled seconds that seemed to stretch on for hours, Jasper defused the suddenly intense atmosphere of the bright room. Yet my mind stilled reeled from this leak of information.

How long had they been communicating with them? Has Jacob talked about our time together? Does he feel bad still for getting me in trouble? Is he okay? Have they been hurt at all in their constant search for Victoria? How is Emily? Have they gotten married yet? Or begun planning the wedding? Who initiated this contact? Has he been on the Cullen's territory? Has he been cliff diving? Has he been keeping up with his schoolwork? Has he been getting more sleep? Why hadn't he returned any of my calls? Does he really believe we can't be friends anymore? Does He think _I'm _still angry about the motorcycle thing?

My reverie was interrupted by Edward clearing his throat lightly. I looked up at him, my questions still forming in my eyes. He pulled his gaze away from mine and looked to Emmett, who would have been red in embarrassment if he could be.

"He suggested it." Carlisle said smoothly. One thought burst from the others flagging itself brightly in my mind, he wants to see me. A small flicker of hope burned deep within me. But I stifled it, not wanting to give myself away to Jasper or Edward.

"She can't go its too dangerous." Edward stated coolly, like it was the only choice. Emmett spoke up again after that.

"I have to agree with Edward on this one, in case anything," he cracked his knuckles, "happens she shouldn't be hanging around." Edward nodded and Rosalie rolled her light eyes at Emmett's apparent love of force.

"If they had any violent intentions they would not have suggested that Bella be there. Even if they think she… betrayed," I winced hardly, "them, they would not wish harm on her. That's the entire point of the treaty in the first place. Perhaps you could request that only specific members be present, the ones with the most control." Alice spoke evenly. Edward stepped forward and was about to open his mouth to speak but was cut off by Carlisle.

"An excellent idea Alice. That's settled then, but Bella, do you wish to attend?"

"I don't like it." Emmett rebutted.

"I refuse to intentionally put her in the path of a mangy, no good, out of control, over emotional, pup like Jac- no- any of those boys." Edward said forcefully. My jaw was clenched and my teeth were practically grinding away at the pressure being put on them. To put it lightly, I was absolutely seething. I glared over to Alice and she rose slowly from Jaspers lap and made her way over to Edward. She stood in front of him and he just glared malevolently down at her. Their gazes locked as Edward's face became steadily angrier and angrier. Hurt and shock flew across his face before it settled into a mask of anger that would have terrified any child into fit filled sleeps for months. In these few seconds his golden eyes warped into pools of molten black, trying to incinerate Alice where she stood with their rage. Alice rose slightly on her toes bringing her gaze closer to his, Edward flinched and Jasper stood up abruptly and released a small growl from the back of his throat; a warning.

All eyes flashed between Jasper, Edward and Alice. Carlisle made a small motion to separate them when Alice bounced back onto flat fleet and whipped her head around to me. Edward's gaze remained on the side of her head. She smiled slightly at me and asked me politely to answer Carlisle's question. I glanced quickly at Edward, his eyes clamped shut waiting for the answer he knew he would hear but didn't want to.

"Yes I'll go." Edward was gone in a flash, Emmett placing Rosalie on the other side of the couch and moving quickly out the back door as well. Jasper walked quickly forward and wrapped his arms protectively around Alice, bending down to whisper something quietly in her ear. She tilted her head to look at him and frowned slightly, which he returned. I didn't understand this exchange at all.

I watched Carlisle carefully waiting for some sort of explanation or instruction. I heard the sound of thunderous booms from the backyard that made me want nothing more than to cover my ears. I flinched as the sound repeated two, three, four times and was accompanied by snarls. Esmé stretched her hand out and patted mine gently as it lay limp in my lap. Rosalie looked at me incredulously for a moment before rising from her seat and gliding out the door to the garage, her face impassive as she walked by.

"Well, Bella, I will call and request our meeting for tomorrow evening seeing as it is getting late for you." I nodded lightly and waited. I brought my gaze up to his and begged for an explanation with my eyes. He sighed and drew in a breath. "Jacob requested that you be unaware of any communication between any of us. He wanted to make sure that you were being taken care of, had a heartbeat," he laughed lightly, "he cares about what happens to you but didn't want to have to deal with you directly. I'm not sure why, but when he set up this little arrangement it was agreed to under the pretense that Edward 'owed' him a favor." He watched my face as comprehension clicked into place. I nodded stiffly and then glanced around the room, attempting to find anything to settle my eyes on, distract me so that the tears would not brim over. Alice and Jasper had left the room and now Esmé and Carlisle were also leaving.

I sat on the warm sofa staring at the threads in the carpet as a few tears escaped despite my best efforts. Jacob Black refused to be my friend, and yet he made sure I was safe at all times. Does he even care? Or is he just doing his 'job' making sure as Carlisle said; that I still had my heartbeat. All these times that Edward had seen me upset over my lost friend, he could have said that Jake wanted to know if I was okay. He caring, even if it is just for his job, is better than him writing me off completely. Even if Jacob had said not to tell me, he could have, I wouldn't have let the secret slip. He should have told me. How am I supposed to marry Edward when he is constantly keeping secrets from me?

I have no idea how long I sat there. I was in a dazed state, a staring contest with the carpet. The snarls outside had lessened and than stopped. Edward and Emmett were suddenly standing in the living room, the light from the small lamp casting their shadows high onto the walls. Emmett shuffled for a moment before mumbling a goodnight and heading out to the garage to find Rose. I refused to raise me eyes from the floor. I needed to use this blank state I had my body in to my advantage, to keep my emotions under control.

I heard him move over towards the piano. He stood silently for a moment before he played the first few noted of my lullaby. I still did not look up. He came closer to me until he was kneeling down a few feet from me. I saw his hands in his lap holding onto tattered pieces of cloth, what had been his shirt only a short time ago. His long pale fingers meddled with the fabric nervously, ripping the shreds smaller and smaller. The shirt was practically confetti now, I felt his gaze turn onto me, trying to break into my mind.

"Bella please say something…" His velvet voice whispered so lightly I almost couldn't hear. I took in a long, slow breath and began to raise my eyes. I followed the line of his arms up past his immaculate chest and stopped at the base of his throat. I released my breath and took another in as I looked him straight in the eye. His face was so sad and sorry, clouded with worry and fear. He was scared. I have no idea what of but he was. I stared for a moment.

"I hope you guys are even now," I said coldly. I pushed my hands just under my thighs and used my arms to push myself up from the couch. I walked slowly to the staircase and held my railing as I made my way up. As I was about to pass Alice's door she opened it and stepped into the hallway. She gently pushed a small pile of amazingly soft flannel into my arms. I looked at her and smiled slightly; she retuned it and hugged me before returning to her room.

I got into Edward's room and flipped on the light switch. All of the fluffy decorative couch pillows were pulled apart, leaving feathers and fabric all over the carpet. Funny, I hadn't heard that. I sighed and went over to Edward's bathroom. I undressed and stepped into the hot and hard spray of the shower. Steam flooded my senses along with the aroma of the shampoo Alice put in here for me.

Edward was just keeping his promise to Jacob. He did owe him. And I did hope they were even now, I hate to imagine what else could go on behind my back. I massaged the conditioner into my scalp and let it sit for a minute while I scrubbed the rest of my body. All the soap bubbles dripped down from the arms and I watched them circle the drain before disappearing into the recesses of the house. I got out and wrapped myself in a thick gold towel hanging to the right of the shower stall. With my hair combed and teeth brushed I observed my reflection in the mirror. What is it about me that has a sadistic vampire chasing me, and another vampire ruining his own mental health trying to be with me? The longer I stared, the further I was from an answer and a frown carved into my forehead.

Alice had given me black flannel pants with light blue small polka dots on them and a long sleeved ultra soft cotton light blue shirt along with black underwear. I pulled everything on and instantly felt cozy and warm. I smiled and walked out into Edward's room. The feathers were no longer on the floor I noticed as I walked barefoot across the room to the bedroom door. I made my way downstairs into the kitchen and grabbed a glass from the cupboard. I filled it halfway with tap water and stared out the window as I slowly sipped it. When I was done I washed and dried to cup before putting it back.

With closer attention paid on my way back to Edward's room I noticed light filtering from underneath the door of Carlisle's office. I didn't pause but continued up the stairs. When I got into his room I grabbed my favorite warm blanket and down pillow. The flannel cover to the pillow and warm embrace of the blanket made me begin to drift off to sleep almost immediately but my mind began to worry. Where was Edward? I hadn't been so mean that he left had I? No he wouldn't do that, he promised. My brain replayed all the scenes from the first day meeting Victoria, James, and Laurent in the field. Then the pictures of the Volturi played, the crimson eyes gleaming in the antechamber, the clouded red of Aro's eyes. Jane's gleaming smile as she tortured the love of my life. I rolled over a few times before I gave up and lay on my back slamming my arms over the top of the blanket and plastering them to my sides.

I lay for a while and watched the shadows play on the walls from the small amount of moon light making its way through the cloud cover. I rolled onto my left side and curled my legs up staring into the darkness.

Laurent's words flashed through my mind; rendering me sleepless for what seemed like hours. '_If you knew what she had planned for you Bella…'_

Edward came in at some point. I saw his silhouette in the doorway and I'm certain he knew I was awake. For the longest time he didn't come any closer. Eventually he moved so he was sitting with his back pressed against the couch; his knees were pulled up to his chest and his chin rest on them. After a few minutes I slowly got up and crouched down beside him.

I took his hand in my own and pulled until he rose. I pushed him until he was lying down on the couch. I lay on top of him, draping the blanket over us and burying my face in the crook of his neck. I kissed him gently there and set one hand on his bare chest, sliding my face down until my cheek lay pressed over his silent heart. He wrapped an arm around me, kissing my hair. I listened to the air swoosh in and out of his lungs, feeling his chest rise against mine. My other hand found his and our fingers laced. There was powerful electricity that seemed to flow between us; making my body relax in its warmth until I fell asleep.

♦

I drifted out of my sleep from the feather light cool touch that was on my face and neck. Edward continued to kiss me and caught the edge of my mouth with his lips as is tweaked up in a small smile.

"Time to wake up, my love." He whispered against my mouth. His perfect lips sent shivers of pleasure down my body and made my heart pump faster, bringing me to a full state of awareness within seconds. I opened my eyes and brought my left hand up to stroke his cheek softly. My engagement ring caught the sunlight streaming in from the window and I smiled wider at the sight of it. Edward followed my gaze and smiled brightly. Then I frowned. Edward's face was instantly apprehensive.

"What's wrong?" he inquired nervously.

"You won't be able to come to school today will you?" I asked shifting my eyes to meet his. Relief was apparent as he answered.

"The clouds should move in by the time you are done with breakfast, you haven't got a thing to worry about I promise." I smiled again and Edward scooped me up in his arms and carried me over to the bathroom, eliciting a squeal of surprise from me as I clung to his neck in shock. He chuckled lightly the sound bouncing off the walls of his room.

"Silly Bella, I won't drop you." I stared at him for a moment and felt his grasp disappear. I squealed again much to his amusement as I was clutching him once again not even a second later as he held me in his arms again. My arms were tight around his neck and my face was buried in his neck as I steadied my breathing.

"That was not funny Edward Cullen." I stated pulling back to look him in the eye. He was trying very hard to hide a smirk but released it once I burst out laughing. He set me on the ground and pointed over to where Alice has left an outfit on the counter.

Edward watched as I picked up what she set out. A smile crept onto my face as I held a shirt as soft as the one I was wearing but this one in a deep indigo with a hood and soft denim jeans and bless her; black converses with the same colored blue laces. I looked up at him and said quietly,

"Do NOT tell her I love this, I'll never hear the end of it and she'll drag me out shopping." He laughed silently but didn't answer. I walked over to him and got very close to his face. "Promise." I whispered even quieter. He brushed his lips against mine and bent to my ear.

"I promise." With that I smiled and shut the door to get dressed. I love this outfit; this is almost as comfortable as my pajamas had been last night. The second I opened the bathroom door Edward grabbed me in his arms and walked swiftly down the stairs, ignoring me the entire time when I said I could walk on my own. Every time I opened my mouth to protest he kissed me. By the time we reached the kitchen table I was practically hyperventilating. Esmé came over and gave me a plate of pancakes that smelt delicious with warm syrup drizzled on them. They taste even better than they looked. I thanked Esmé before running upstairs to brush my teeth and grab my school bag.

Bella Swan, stairs, running do not mix. I tripped down the hallway and landed on the top stair luckily grabbing the banister before I fell all the down. In the process my right hand pressed and dragged over the zipper to my school bag, creating a small series of semi deep cuts down the side of my palm.

"Crap," I exclaimed, "No body come near me I'm bleeding." I said a lot louder. "Ugh, its smells." I groaned making an effort to breath through my mouth. But Edward was already in my line of sight rushing up the stairs to sit by me. "Edward I'm fine just give me a second to get up and go into the bathroom or something." I rambled. I tried to push myself up off the floor with my other hand but winced I stretched a bruise already forming along the length of my leg. Edward gently pushed me back down and took my face in his hands; he turned me towards him and looked deep into my eyes.

"Bella?"

"Yes." I whispered.

"I'm fine, it isn't bothering me at all, I vowed to never hurt you and I won't. Let me see." I reluctantly moved my hand away from my body and placed it in his stone hands. He bent his head down and kissed the inside of my palm, right next to the wound. I watched him with careful eyes as he met my gaze again. His eyes were still light topaz and I found myself melt into them and stare back lovingly. His lip twitched up into a crooked grin and he told me he would be right back.

Before I could blink he was back in front of me with hydrogen peroxide, a small towel, a white tube, gauze pads, and white self adhesive medical tape. I know my medical supplies well, for obvious reasons. He placed my hand on the towel and lightly poured a small amount of the peroxide onto the cuts. At first it felt cool but after a few seconds it turned into a stinging sensation that seemed to spread throughout my entire hand. It hurt, a lot, but I didn't make a sound or wince. I'm supposed to be trying Edward to change me into a vampire after all. This is kittens compared to that internal inferno.

Edward dried it off and laid the gauze pads on the cut with some ointment before taping them all down to my hand carefully. When he was done he kissed all along it and then leaned forward and kissed my lips again. His mouth lingered on mine and my un-bandaged hand made its way up his chest and into his hair as his chilly hand wound around my neck, keeping me close.

"WE'RE GOING TO BE LATE!!!" Alice unnecessarily bellowed up the stairs. I jumped back in surprise and almost fell down the staircase again but Edward caught me and brought me to my feet muttering something about stupid little sisters. He picked me up and we were in his Volvo in seconds Alice waiting not so patiently next to Jasper in the backseat, tapping her rain boot clad feet against the floor of the car. She muttered something that sounded like 'took you long enough, next time get a room' which made Edward erupt in a short but strongly territorial and protective growl.

Jasper growled in return but placed a hand on Alice's shoulder and her tapping foot became still and she slumped back in the seat, a small grimace playing at the edges of her mouth.

We made it to school on time and were making our way over to building three when Edward reminded me about the dance that night. I yanked on his hand until he stopped moving and looked down at me. He bent forward, closer to me.

"Werewolves then dancing." I said sternly before proceeding to walk again dragging him along as Alice and Jasper giggled next to us.

**Songs: **

**Barfly - Ray LaMontagne**

**Empty - Ray LaMontagne**

**This House Is A Circus - Arctic Monkeys**

**Say Anything - Cartel**


End file.
